The Ministry of Transport has issued an advisory to the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies, asking them to apprehend any commercial driver found charging new transport fares from the existing rates.

This move comes in response to concerns by drivers to hike fares as a result of fuel price increases.

According to a statement released by the Ministry's Public Relations Unit in Accra on Sunday, April 14, negotiations for new public transport fares are currently underway with Road Transport Operators.

These discussions stem from recent hikes in fuel prices and other operational costs affecting the transportation sector.

The Ministry emphasised the importance of commercial drivers sticking to the existing public transport fares, as directed by the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) of TUC and the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC).

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“The Ministry is urging the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies to be on the lookout for any driver who goes contrary to the directive issued by the GPRTU and the GRTCC”, an excerpt of the statement read.

It further urged drivers to cooperate with ongoing negotiations and refrain from imposing unauthorized fare increases on commuters.

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) recently issued a joint advisory urging commuters to refrain from paying any new transport fares that have not been officially approved.

This advisory comes in response to the announcement made by the Transport Operators Union and the Concerned Drivers Association of Ghana regarding a proposed 30% increase in transport fares, set to take effect on Saturday, April 13.

In their joint press release, the GPRTU and the GRTCC attributed the decision to raise fares to the government's perceived failure to address lingering grievances within the transport sector adequately.