The Minister of Transport, Mr Joseph Bukari Nikpe, has pledged a renewed and coordinated effort with the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs to address the persistent exploitation of commuters by some commercial transport operators, particularly "trotro" drivers in Accra and other major cities across the country.
This follows a recent The Ghanaian Times report, which exposed how some drivers were deliberately charging arbitrary fares to the disadvantage of commuters.
Mr Nikpe said government had already begun implementing practical measures, including the deployment of additional public transport vehicles during peak hours, to ease the pressure on commuters.
He explained that transport governance framework, intra-city transportation fell largely under the purview of the Ministry of Local Government, working through the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), while inter-city transport and national transport services remained the responsibility of the Ministry of Transport.
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"To effectively address the transport challenges confronting our cities, particularly Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi and Tamale, there must be close collaboration between our two ministries," Mr Nikpe said in an interview with The Ghanaian Times.
He noted that discussions were ongoing to strengthen coordination with city authorities to ensure better regulation of lorry stations, route management and enforcement against recalcitrant drivers who flouted approved fares.
As part of immediate interventions, Mr Nikpe disclosed that several Ayalolo (Bus Rapid Transit) buses, which had been grounded due to mechanical faults, had been repaired and redeployed to support intra-city operations.
Additionally, Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMTL) had announced a temporary reduction in some of its inter-city services to release more buses for intra-city routes in Accra, in a bid to ease the recent transport congestion and commuter frustration in the capital.
The minister further revealed that the Ministry of Transport would soon hold engagements with commercial transport unions and operators amid growing concerns that some players were deliberately restricting the availability of vehicles to justify high fares.
He said the meeting would serve as a platform for frank dialogue and enforcement in order to ensure that the benefits of recent government relief measures were reflected in transport fares.
Mr Nikpe also expressed concern that despite the reduction in fuel prices, relative stability of the cedi, and the removal of import duties on spare parts, some transport operators had failed to reduce fares accordingly.
"We have reduced fuel prices, removed import duties on spare parts, and taken steps to stabilise the economy, all to cushion transport operators and commuters."
"Unfortunately, some operators are not passing on these benefits to passengers. Instead, they are exploiting the situation," he stated.
He alleged that some drivers deliberately avoided their designated lorry station bays so they could pick passengers along the road and charge inflated fares.
"After fuel prices went down and the transport unions announced a 15 per cent fare reduction, some operators thought they could create artificial shortages to charge higher fares," Mr Nikpe added.
He stressed that public transport in Ghana, though largely run by private operators, was a public service that must be operated responsibly.
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"They have a duty to follow the rules and not take advantage of passengers," he emphasised, adding that the repair and deployment of additional buses would give commuters more reliable and affordable transport options.
Mr Nikpe reaffirmed the government's commitment to working closely with transport unions, local authorities and other stakeholders to restore order, fairness and efficiency in the transport sector and to bring lasting relief to commuters nationwide.
BY CECILIA YADA LAGBA
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