A consultative meeting between government and transport unions to negotiate increment in fares has ended inconclusively.
This follows a disagreement between the Transport Ministry and the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) after the latter proposed a 26% increment in fares.
“Our cumulative increment was somewhere around 26%. Because there was a little dispute between that ours and the Ministry, we had to go back and do it again. The Ministry was not offering anything as it were.
“Like we said, they also have to take their data from the NPA to confirm that we have the one that we have. After we’ve all agreed on what the data is, that is when we would do the calculation for the increase,” General Secretary of GRTCC, Emmanuel Ohene Yeboah told JoyNews.
The meeting was rescheduled for Thursday, September 22 to allow the parties to reconsider their proposals, with the hope that they can reach a consensus.
The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has cited an increment in fuel prices at the pump and the cost of spare parts as reasons for its proposed increment in transport fares.
Spokesperson of GPRTU, Abass Imoro, is optimistic they will arrive at an acceptable increment when they meet the Ministry again.
“We presented our issue of upward adjustment in lorry fares but we couldn’t conclude yesterday [Monday]. Normally, the GRTCC joins hands with us; so, we all came up with one proposal.
“So, we should keep our fingers crossed. Whatever the outcome [will be] on Thursday, we shall bring it out and sensitise the public about the percentage and when it will take effect.”