GPRTU to sanction commercial drivers refusing to reduce fares

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) says it would sanction commercial drivers who have refused to reduce transport fares by the agreed 5 percent.

Greater Accra Chairman of GPRTU, Robert Sabah, told Joy News according to the constitution of the drivers’ union, drivers charging the old fares would be prevented from working.

“Their [drivers’] loading rights will be withheld”, Mr Sabah explained.

The drop in the cost of transport fares was announced by the GPRTU after government slashed fuel prices by 10% following the drop in the price of fuel at the pumps.

The reduced fare was expected to take effect on Friday January 9, 2015

The GPRTU and others initially rejected calls for a reduction in transport fares following the reduction in fuel prices earlier this month.

The unionised drivers had insisted that that the transport fares are not only influenced by the cost of fuel.
However, they beat a retreat by reducing transport fares by half of the rate reduction in the fuel prices.

“We’ve finally agreed to reduce the transport fares effective tomorrow, January 9, 2015. We want to come down by 5%”, General Secretary of the GPRTU Stephen Okudjeto had told Joy News’ Kuuku Abban.

Credit: Myjoyonline.com