Some passengers at Kasoa in the Central Region have described the 10 per cent increase in transport fares as unfavourable and want the government to intervene.

They expressed worry over the new fare hike and demanded that the government subsidise petroleum products to forestall transport fare hikes.

At the main Kasoa Bus Terminal in the Awutu Senya East Constituency, some passengers said the new fares coupled with the current economic hardship will impose difficulties on citizens.

“For me, I think it is too much and the government must do something about it because we can’t be paying this huge fare for this distance and the government will just sit there and do nothing. At least, the fare should go back to normal [previous price],” one passenger told Class91.3FM’s Central regional correspondent Simon Agbovi on Monday, 16 September 2019, following the implementation of the new fares.

Another passenger explained that the increase in fares will cause a general rise in the prices of goods and services, therefore, “something should be done about it”.

Changes in transport fares were triggered after consultations between the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council and the Transport Ministry.

The GPRTU at Kasoa told journalists that effective Monday, the new fares will be as follows: Kasoa – Circle has moved from GHS4 to GHS4.50; Kasoa – Ashiaman from GHS8 to GHS 9; Kasoa – Tema from GHS 9 to GHS 10; Kumasi – Konongo from GHS 30 to GHS 33; and for Sprinter buses, Kasoa to Nsawam has moved from GHS 7 to GHS 8.