The Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) has justified the impending 20% increase in public transport fares, which will take effect on Friday, August 8, 2025.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Midday News on Tuesday, the Council’s General Secretary, Emmanuel Ohene‑Yeboah, explained that the increment was necessary due to rising operational costs affecting transport operators across the country.

According to him, the recent introduction of a GH₵ 1.00 per litre Energy Sector Levy, which came into force on July 16, has significantly pushed up fuel prices, thereby increasing the daily running costs for commercial vehicles.

• Read also: Public transport fares to go up by 20% starting Friday, August 8

He added that a fare reduction earlier in May did not bring about any significant drop in the cost of spare parts, lubricants, or vehicle maintenance.

"They did that conscious of the fact that there has been this school of thought that, anytime there is a transport fare increase, prices of services and goods come down to correspond with our transport fare reduction. But we didn't see that," he said.

On the contrary, most of these components have continued to rise in price, compounding the financial burden on operators.

"After the reduction, our spare parts and other operational components... actually went up too. So we realised it is an exercise in futility. We were suffering while you guys were enjoying... Along the line, this GHS1 levy on a fuel litre also came in," he added.

The new fares will apply across the board, including shared taxis, intra-city “trotros,” intercity buses, and long-haul trucks. Transport operators have been directed to visibly display the updated fares at terminals and loading points.

He stressed that the fare adjustment followed the laid-down procedures under the Administrative Instrument regulating the transport sector.