'Transport fares cannot be reduced' – Concerned Drivers

With the appreciation of the cedi, there are calls for market prices, including transport fares, to be reduced concurrently.

However, the Concerned Drivers Association thinks otherwise.

According to the Public Relations Officer of the Association, David Agboado, the call on the association to reduce transport fares in response to the reduction in fuel prices cannot be adhered to.

This, he said, is because the current decline in fuel prices is not up to the price of fuel when transport fares were increased.

“Last time we increased transport fares was May this year when fuel prices were GHC 11.69, and so until fuel prices decrease to the same amount we cannot reduce transport fare,” David Agboado said.

Speaking on GBC’s Uniiq Breakfast Drive, David Agboado said, when a litre of fuel moved from GHC 10.80 -GHC 11.69, the Association wrote a proposal to the Ministry for a fare increment. The Ministry agreed but pleaded that the Association wait because “we are not in normal times”.

According to him, the Association of Concerned Drivers was demanding a 40 percent increment out of the 48 percent.

“We started discussion when a litre of fuel was selling at GHC 11.69, of which we were demanding a 40 percent increment,” David Agboado said.

“But itself, the GHC 8 to GHC 6 is a 48 percent increment but we decided to take only 40 percent which also became front and back till fuel Price moved from GHC 11. 69 in May to GHC 15.99. Before they agreed on the 40 percent, we wanted to take under the GHC 11.69 Price.”

David Agboado said when the Association asked how to go about the newly introduced fuel price, the Ministry requested a Memo before they are heard. This according to him, did not yield any positive results.

David Agboado emphasised, “the current transport fare was introduced when fuel was selling at GHC 11.69 that’s why I am saying it can’t be reduced unless it decreases further to GHC 11.69.”