The Ashanti Regional Office of the National Security Secretariat, on Monday, commenced a special joint security operation aimed at curbing the charging of illegal transport fares across Greater Kumasi.

The operation, spearheaded by the Regional Security Liaison Officer, Capt. (Rtd.) Kwame Jabari will involve more than 20 officers from the regional office and various municipal security units within the metropolis.

According to National Security, the exercise will target commercial drivers, conductors, and loading boys who unlawfully increase transport fares. Individuals arrested during the operation will be handed over to the Ghana Police Service for prosecution.

The enforcement exercise is expected to run for about 14 hours daily across Greater Kumasi and will continue until there is a noticeable improvement in the conduct of commercial transport operators, particularly trotro drivers.

To minimise inconvenience to commuters, National Security, in collaboration with Metro Mass Transit, plans to deploy at least 10 Metro Mass buses to convey passengers from selected communities in Greater Kumasi to Kejetia and other destinations.

Capt. (Rtd.) Jabari, speaking to the media ahead of the operation, explained that the initiative was not meant to punish transport operators but to instil discipline and promote respect for the rule of law.

“As a transport operator, you have no right to take the law into your own hands by increasing transport fares. Such actions are acts of indiscipline and cannot be justified. That is why we are stepping in to put a stop to them,” he stated.