The National Commercial Tricycle Riders Union has called on the government to lower the cost of licensing for commercial tricycle operators, describing the current fee as prohibitively high and a barrier to legal registration.

According to the union, the GH₵1,500 licensing fee required by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) prevents many riders from regularising their operations, leaving them to operate informally and compromising safety.

Speaking to Citi FM, the union’s National Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Adjetey, said reducing the cost would encourage greater compliance and ensure more operators function within the law.

“The amount is higher than our capacity, so if DVLA reduces it, everybody will be able to register. At first, there was no issue of legalisation, but now there is,” he said.

Mr Adjetey further emphasised the importance of designated tricycle stations, noting that inadequate facilities in areas such as Kasoa, Koforidua, and Kumasi make compliance more difficult.

“When we get the stations and the licences at a lower cost, everybody will comply,” he added.

The union stressed that affordable licensing combined with proper infrastructure would improve safety, streamline operations, and strengthen regulatory enforcement nationwide.