The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) is calling for Ghana to adopt a clear, scientific method for determining changes in public transport fares, rather than relying on negotiations between government officials and transport unions.

This follows a recent plan by the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council to increase fares by 20%, citing reasons such as the failure of prices of goods, services, and spare parts to drop after a 15% fare reduction in May.

COPEC’s Executive Secretary, Duncan Amoah, told Citi Business News that the current system is outdated and that fare adjustments should be based on transparent calculations, for example, working out the cost of fuel per litre per kilometer, and making that data publicly available.

“Public transport fares should be scientifically driven, not based on whims and wishes," Amoah said.

“In the petroleum sector, we can determine the cost per litre per kilometre in the country using all the metrics for calculating transport fares, and we should be able to publish that,” he added.

COPEC has also paused its plan to take legal action against the fare increase, following the suspension of the proposed hike, which was set to take effect on August 8, 2025.

The Chamber says it will continue to engage stakeholders and push for the adoption of a transparent, evidence-based framework. It stressed that such a system would prevent unnecessary disputes, give both drivers and passengers clarity, and ensure future fare adjustments are fair to all parties involved.

DR/MA