Confusion has arisen among commuters and some drivers in the Keta Municipality as the drivers have refused to comply with the 15 per cent transport fare reduction directed by the Ghana Private Roads Transport Union (GPRTU).
The new transport fare, which commenced on Saturday, May 24, was attributed to the fuel price reduction and the cedi appreciation to help alleviate the plight of other road users.
Mr Ben Dordor, a resident of Keta, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) lamented how some taxi drivers in the area have defied directives of the GPRTU and kept collecting the old transport fares to the detriment of the commuting public.
“There is confusion and chaos everywhere, the drivers refused to collect the new fares and passengers have also insisted on paying the new fare, we need the authorities to resolve this situation,” he said.
He explained that some other ‘okada’ riders who provided the alternative services were also charging higher fares, which had increased the sufferings and plight of road users.
He charged the leadership of various driver unions in the area to engage with their members and make sure they complied with the new directives to avoid further chaos and misunderstanding that could even lead to fight between passengers and drivers.
“Drivers and Okada riders must be tasked to abide by rules and regulations, the most challenging aspect is that some drivers did not belong to any union and they do things anyhow.”
Mr Awilo Attito, the Volta Regional Public Relations Officer of the GPRTU, told the GNA that the Union had received numerous report from various districts about the driver’s refusal to comply with the new transport fare directives.
He said that all GPRTU members and other relevant driver unions have all been complying with their directives since the commencement of new transport fares and the unions were putting plans in place to address the issues.
He urged commuters and other road users not to fight or engage in any untoward confusion with the drivers who would defy the directives but rather report them to their mother unions and to the police for redress.
Some taxi drivers the GNA spoke with in Keta said that many of them use LPG gas instead of fuel and called on the government to help reduce the prices of LPG to enable them also to reduce the transfer fares in the area.
GNA
