Private transport operators in Accra, including the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), have agreed to establish a joint task force to address the persistent transport challenges facing commuters in the capital.

The unions partly attribute the difficulties to indiscipline among some drivers, including the charging of unapproved fares and the practice of collecting fares multiple times for the same distance.

The decision comes as many residents of Accra continue to endure daily transport hardships, particularly during the morning and evening rush hours.

Speaking to the media after a meeting with stakeholders, union representatives expressed confidence that the initiative would significantly improve the situation, while appealing for sustained government support.

One union leader strongly condemned the practice of overcharging passengers, describing it as dishonest and unacceptable.

“Those who are charging above the approved fares should be at the end of their path because that is totally cheating. You are not supposed to take five cedis from somebody and instead take ten cedis,” he said.

He added that immediate steps were being taken to engage members on the issue. “We are immediately going to call our people tomorrow. We have already started informing them about tomorrow’s emergency meeting,” he stated.

Another representative explained that a task force had already been formed to monitor the situation, stressing that the transport challenges experienced during the Christmas period were not due to a shortage of vehicles.

“We formed a task force to monitor the problem that exists now, and we made the minister understand that it was not a matter of vehicle shortages during the Christmas era,” he said.

According to him, the main challenge was severe traffic congestion within Accra, which discourages some drivers from completing their trips into the city centre.

“The problem was the huge traffic within the city of Accra. Because of the number of people, including traders, some drivers decide not to come,” he explained.

Another union official disclosed that the Minister of Transport had directed the unions to organise themselves to enforce discipline among drivers.

“What the minister said is that we engaged with the GPRTU and asked them to organise themselves with a task force so that they will ensure all drivers are doing things in the right way,” he said.

The unions emphasised the need for a unified approach, noting that the task force would comprise representatives from all private transport groups.

“We think the task force will work, and we want all of us to be part of it. We are not going to single out any particular group. We want one unified task force to take care of all of us,” another representative said.

They also called on the Ministry of Local Government and the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to intensify efforts to decongest the city, noting that traffic congestion remains a major contributor to passenger build-up at transport terminals.

“For most of the traffic build-up and passenger pile-up, it is a result of congestion. It reduces our travel turnaround time,” the official explained.

The unions reaffirmed their commitment to the initiative and urged the Ministry of Transport to play its part to ensure lasting improvements.

“We have committed to working with this initiative. We expect the ministry also to play its role very well so that this will not be a nine-day wonder,” he added.