The Association of Passengers Ghana is discontent over what it perceives as a lack of clear communication from transport operators regarding proposed increases in transport fares across the country.

In a press statement issued on Monday, April 15, the Association's convener, Afia Kwarteng Asamani, highlighted the detrimental impact of this miscommunication, which has led to confusion among commuters and drivers.

Madam Asamani emphasised the urgent need to address this issue, warning that failure to do so promptly could escalate into an unfortunate situation that would not be in the best interest of Ghanaians.

The association expressed concern that the lack of clarity surrounding the approved fares could potentially exacerbate tensions between passengers and transport operators.

The Association of Passengers Ghana thus called upon transport operators to take swift action by engaging their members on the approved fares and ensuring transparent communication with the public.

They stressed the importance of disseminating accurate information to avoid further confusion and uphold the interests of both commuters and drivers.

"While we acknowledge the recent increment in the price of petrol and other products, leading to the need for increased transport fares, we emphasize the importance of clear communication to avoid confusion.

"Whether the increase is 20% or 30%, it should be explicitly stated to prevent misunderstandings between bus conductors and commuters, given the prevailing economic difficulties and other factors exacerbating the living conditions of commuters."

"Through this statement, we encourage all our members to remain calm while awaiting the approval of the final proposed 20% increase in transport fares by the recognized union, GPRTU, as well as GRTCC."

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.

However, the directive appears to have resulted in some confusion and disagreement between commuters and drivers regarding the implementation of the new fare adjustments.