David Agboado, Public Relations Officer for the Concerned Drivers Association, has claimed that a primary reason for the current shortage of commercial vehicles and the resulting crisis for passengers is, paradoxically, the strong performance of the government.
Speaking in an interview on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Mr. Agboado addressed the recent scarcity of commercial vehicles and the issues of inflated fares.
He attributed the surge in demand to a revitalized economy “The reason why we have seen a shortage of commercial vehicles is due to the sterling performance of the ruling government. Things have changed because the cedi has appreciated against the dollar. All the companies that collapsed in previous years have been revived; with more workers now employed, the number of individuals depending on commercial vehicles has increased.”
Despite the economic gains, Mr. Agboado explained that other genuine issues are crippling the transport system. He specifically challenged claims made by the Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association regarding price reductions. He argued that the opposite is true: spare parts remain prohibitively expensive.
According to Mr. Agboado, approximately 45% of commercial vehicles are currently grounded in workshops because drivers cannot afford repairs.
“Spare parts have become so expensive to the point that dealers in Abossey Okai are taking advantage of us,” he noted. “They have refused to reduce their prices to reflect the positive gains recorded under this government. About 45 percent of vehicles that were previously on our roads have developed faults and are at the workshops because drivers cannot afford the parts.”
He concluded by stating that, specifically regarding “home-used” spare parts for commercial cars, dealers have failed to implement any price cuts, contrary to their public assertions.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
