Road transport operators have justified their move to hike rates, calling it fair in light of the fuel price increases recently announced by government. The costs of petrol and diesel have been increased by 20 percent while that of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) went up by 50 percent. The increment, which took effect from Sunday, was announced in statement from the National Petroleum Authority (NPA). Consequently, all transport operators’ associations increased their fares by between 15 and 25 percent for trotros, taxis and long distance vehicles. General Secretary of the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC), Alhaji Aliu Baba explained to Joy News that the factors weighed in determining the new fares went beyond fuel prices. “We did not apply percentage. We applied the current market survey, that is the prices for all the components like the price for...tyres, price in the cost of insurance and other relative variables,” he stated. Alhaji Baba emphasized that transport operators also considered the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian in arriving at the new fares. “After our calculation...we took into account also the burden on the commuters…”