President of the Online Drivers Union, Francis Tengey, has urged the government through the Ministry of Transport and Youth and Employment to include ride-hailing users in decision-making processes related to fare changes.

In a significant announcement, the Online Drivers Union stated that ride-hailing services will not reduce fares, despite the recent appreciation of the Ghanaian cedi.

In an interview with GhanaWeb on May 29, 2025, Tengey explained why there will be no fare cuts for Uber, Bolt, and Yango drivers.

"Firstly, we support price reductions and are willing to advocate for fare cuts that benefit users; however, we are currently opposed to this because we were not invited to participate in the meeting that resulted in the decision made by the Road Transport Operators. The GPRTU (Ghana Private Road Transport Union) made a decision on our behalf without our knowledge. The Ministry of Transport should have called a meeting that included us, representing the platform workers, to justify that decision. We are pleading with the Minister to involve us in meetings so we can communicate with the mobile application companies to reflect any changes on their platforms," he stated.

The union argues that operational costs remain high, and drivers must maintain their current earnings to sustain their livelihoods.

Tengey emphasised that they have yet to hear from the Minister of Transport regarding their concerns.

"We are waiting for a response from the sector Minister regarding our department. Once we hear from them, we will offer our support," he added.

Passengers may continue to face high transportation costs, raising concerns about affordability and accessibility.

They expressed hope for fare reductions for ride-hailing users.

"Once we are engaged, we can also communicate with the companies to advocate for fare reductions. These companies cannot make decisions that do not favor the drivers without causing issues. There should be a tripartite committee, consisting of the companies, us representing the drivers, and the government, sitting together to establish a fair reduction that benefits everyone," he shared.

Given the recent gains in the cedi's value, many anticipated fare reductions.

They outlined the expectations regarding fare changes.

"I think a 15% reduction is reasonable. However, if fares are reduced by 15%, there should also be a corresponding reduction in the service fees that drivers pay. Currently, we pay 25% on Bolt, 24.5% on Uber, and 18% on Yango. If there is a reduction in service fees that aligns with the fare reduction, it will benefit both drivers and customers," he emphasised.

They urged local authorities to hold transport operators accountable and enforce necessary price adjustments.

"They should engage us as stakeholders and recognise the union. If they fail to recognise the union, it will be challenging to determine pricing and other policies introduced by the government," he concluded.

He reiterated that the Online Drivers Union is not affiliated with the GPRTU and expressed their desire for the current Ministry of Transport to recognise them and regulate their sector.

"Our Ghana Online Drivers Union (ODU) is independent of the GPRTU, which is why we are appealing to the current Ministry of Transport for recognition and regulation of our sector. Currently, no official union represents platform workers in our industry. Therefore, we believe that before the 15% fare reduction can be implemented, the government should intervene. We need to have a meeting where we can be recognised and have a voice as stakeholders," he shared, expressing his concerns.

NAD/MA