The Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry and member of Parliament’s Transport Committee, Sampson Ahi, has said the government remains committed to addressing the underlying factors contributing to rising transport fares, particularly fuel prices and the operational costs faced by commercial transport operators.

His remarks come ahead of a planned 20 per cent increase in transport fares announced by commercial transport unions, which is expected to take effect on June 2.

Speaking in an interview with Citi FM, Mr Ahi expressed optimism that ongoing engagements between transport operators and the Minister for Transport would result in a mutually beneficial resolution.

According to him, the government is taking steps to improve the transport sector by increasing the number of vehicles available to private operators, while also addressing issues that directly affect transport costs.

“The government is focused on acquiring more vehicles to complement the efforts of the private sector. Another issue has to do with the cost of fuel, spare parts and other factors operators consider when determining transport fares,” he stated.