The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has stated that the majority of commercial drivers who overcharge passengers, particularly during peak hours, are not affiliated with the Union or any other recognized body within the transport sector.
This claim was made by Samuel Amoah, Deputy Communications Officer for the GPRTU, during an appearance on the Frontline program on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM. Mr. Amoah confirmed that the Union has received numerous complaints regarding excessive fares. However, subsequent internal investigations revealed that most of the drivers involved in the practice are not registered members of the GPRTU or any legally recognised transport organization.
Mr. Amoah informed host Kwabena Agyapong that the GPRTU encourages affected passengers to submit formal complaints, provided they include the vehicle registration numbers. When a complaint involves a verified GPRTU member, disciplinary action is taken.
In response to a direct inquiry about complaints of overcharging during rush hours, Mr. Amoah confirmed the issue. He stated: “We have received several complaints and, typically, we encourage those affected to record the vehicle numbers and submit them to the respective stations.”
He then highlighted a major systemic challenge: “One challenge we have discovered is that the majority of those engaging in this practice are not members of the GPRTU or any other union.”
Mr. Amoah pointed out that the transport regulations legally mandate all commercial transport operators to belong to a union. He emphasized that the solution lies in mandatory union membership for all commercial drivers, a requirement codified in the Road Traffic Act 2012, L.I. 2180.
He concluded by urging the relevant authorities to strictly enforce this existing law to mitigate the various challenges arising from non-compliant operators.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana