The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has announced its intention to demand a significant increase in transportation fares, citing the latest hikes in petroleum product prices across the country. The union is proposing an upward adjustment of between 30 and 40 percent to mitigate the impact of rising fuel costs on the transport sector.

According to Godfred Abulbire, General Secretary of the GPRTU, the union will meet with the Ministry of Transport on Tuesday, October 18, to formally begin negotiations on the proposed fare adjustments.

“By Tuesday, we are going to begin our negotiations. We are going to begin our negotiations with the forecast or reports that we have gotten and from there, we will know by what margin [we will increase transport fares],” Mr. Abulbire said in an interview with Citi FM.

He emphasized that anything less than a 30 percent increment would be unsustainable for commercial drivers, warning that a failure to reflect the fuel price hikes in fares could severely affect the transport business. “But if you look at it fairly, the fares should not be increased by less than 30 percent to 40 percent. Anything less than that will have a serious effect on the transport sector,” he asserted.

This development comes amid sharp increases in fuel prices reported by several Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). Checks by Joy Business indicate that some fuel stations have adjusted their pump prices significantly. Petrol, previously selling at GHS11.10 per liter, is now retailing at GHS13.00—a 16% increase.

Similarly, diesel prices have surged from about GHS13.90 to GHS15.99 per liter, representing a 12% jump. Consumers are also bracing for further hikes, with the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) expected to rise by approximately 10% starting Monday, October 17.

The anticipated fare hike has sparked concern among the commuting public, many of whom are already grappling with the rising cost of living. GPRTU maintains that the adjustment is unavoidable, given the upward trend in operational costs fueled by inflation and volatile global oil markets.

While the final fare adjustment is yet to be agreed upon, all eyes are on the outcome of the union’s upcoming negotiations with the Transport Ministry. Ghanaians may need to brace for another round of fare hikes as transport operators seek to stay afloat in a turbulent economic climate.