The Association of Passengers Ghana is unhappy about what it considers to be a dearth of information from transportation providers about planned hikes in transportation costs around the nation.Afia Kwarteng Asamani, the convener of the Association, emphasized in a news release released on Monday, April 15, the negative consequences of this misunderstanding, which has caused uncertainty among drivers and commuters.
The urgency of addressing this matter was emphasized by Madam Asamani, who cautioned that delaying action may lead to unfavorable outcomes that would not be in the best interests of Ghanaians.
The group conveyed concern that the ambiguity around the authorized rates would possibly intensify conflicts between travelers and transportation providers.
Thus, the Association of Passengers Ghana urged transportation providers to move quickly, educating their members about the authorized tariffs and guaranteeing open lines of contact with the general public.
They emphasized how crucial it is to provide correct information in order to prevent such misunderstandings and protect the rights of drivers and commuters.
"We stress the need of clear communication to prevent misunderstanding, even as we accept the recent rise in the price of gasoline and other items, necessitating higher transportation charges.
"Whether the increase is 20% or 30%, it should be explicitly stated to prevent misunderstandings between bus conductors and commuters, given the prevailing economic difficulties and other factors exacerbating the living conditions of commuters."
"Through this statement, we encourage all our members to remain calm while awaiting the approval of the final proposed 20% increase in transport fares by the recognized union, GPRTU, as well as GRTCC."
In a recent joint advise, the Ghana Road transit Coordinating Council (GRTCC) and the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) urged passengers to forgo paying any new transit rates that have not been formally authorized.
This warning follows the announcement of a planned 30% rise in transportation prices by the Transport Operators Union and the Concerned Drivers Association of Ghana, which is scheduled to go into effect on Saturday, April 13.
The GPRTU and the GRTCC jointly released a press statement in which they blamed the government for not doing enough to resolve long-standing complaints in the transportation industry, which led to the decision to hike rates.
On the other hand, it seems that the order has caused some misunderstandings and arguments between drivers and passengers on how to apply the new rate changes.
