A communications team member of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Eric Sosu, has urged the government through the Ministry of Transport to intervene in the arbitrary charging of exorbitant fares by commercial drivers, particularly during rush hours.
Mr Sosu lamented that the practice has become widespread across the country, with commercial drivers routinely charging unapproved rates.
He stated that commuters are often charged double the standard fare regardless of their destination, describing the situation as outright exploitation.
He noted that rather than operating direct routes from major points—such as Accra to Pokuase or Nsawam—some drivers deliberately split the journey into shorter legs. Passengers are forced to pay separate fares for each leg, meaning a journey that should ordinarily cost GH¢10 ends up costing GH¢20 or more.
Speaking on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, he told host Kwabena Agyapong that the situation continues to worsen because drivers know desperate commuters have few alternatives due to the acute shortage of commercial vehicles.
He argued that leaving the transport sector entirely to private operators is unsustainable, advising the government to step in by purchasing more buses for the State Transport Company (STC) to operate intra-city routes.
According to Mr Sosu, it is deeply troubling that Ghanaians must struggle to secure commercial transport both when commuting to work and returning home.
He added that rainy weather severely exacerbates these transport challenges, particularly in major hubs within the capital such as Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Lapaz, and the Central Business District (CBD).
He stressed the urgent need for the administration to address these persistent issues.
“When it comes to the transport sector, we should not leave it in the hands of private individuals alone. There are some drivers who are charging passengers GH¢15 for a journey that should cost GH¢10 because it is the evening, and when it rains, they take GH¢20. This is ridiculous and not by law. Imagine you’ve left home and have your budget for transport—if you don’t take care, you will not return home. I think we should have a dedicated government transport system to operate in these areas during rush hours where the drivers take advantage of the passengers. When we do this, it will force these reckless drivers to charge only the approved fares.
Passengers are struggling and have no choice but to pay. We cannot allow the transport operators to do whatever they want. What then is the essence of governance if we allow these drivers to breach our laws? I propose the introduction of more government buses to operate in these affected areas so it will bring sanity into the system,” he stated.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
