The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has issued a statement advising the general public to disregard the recent announcement of a 15% increase in transport fares by the Transport Operators Association. The proposed fare hike was set to take effect on July 22, but the GPRTU has instructed commercial transport operators to maintain the current fares.

According to the GPRTU, the Transport Operators Association failed to engage stakeholders properly before announcing the fare increase. The union emphasized that any fare adjustment must follow established protocols, which have not been met in this case.

Additionally, the GPRTU highlighted that they had recently increased lorry fares, making another adjustment premature. The union stressed that they must adhere to the “laid down system” before implementing any fare changes, which has not been followed by the Transport Operators Association.

The GPRTU has expressed optimism that the Transport Operators Association will retract their announcement before Monday, avoiding confusion among passengers. The union’s stance aims to protect the interests of both transport operators and the general public.

In light of this development, passengers are advised to pay the current fares and not succumb to the announced 15% increase. The GPRTU’s directive ensures that the public is not burdened with an unjustified fare hike, promoting fairness and stability in the transport sector.

As the situation unfolds, the GPRTU and relevant stakeholders will likely engage in discussions to address any concerns and work towards a mutually beneficial solution. For now, the public is urged to disregard the announced fare increase and report any instances of overcharging to the appropriate authorities.