West Africa Director of CUTS International, Appiah Adomako Kusi, has urged the government not to block the announced 20% increase in public transport fares, arguing that transport operators must be allowed to adjust prices in response to rising operating costs.
His comments come ahead of an expected meeting between the Transport Ministry and transport unions on Monday, June 1, following the announcement of a nationwide fare increase by transport operators.
Speaking on Channel One News on Saturday, May 30, Mr Kusi said it would be unfair for authorities to prevent transport operators from reviewing fares while fuel prices and other key operational costs continue to rise.
According to him, transport operators have been grappling with frequent increases in fuel prices, making it difficult for many businesses in the sector to sustain their operations under existing fare levels.
He argued that restricting private transport operators from implementing the adjustment could undermine their business models, particularly at a time when the cost of running commercial vehicles continues to increase.
Mr Kusi noted that while state-supported transport services may be able to absorb some of the cost pressures, private operators do not enjoy similar support and therefore require flexibility to remain viable.
”I think it will be unfair to ask the transport operators to halt their price increase when we allow NPA and fuel importers to increase when we have been adjusting prices upward every two weeks. It will be very unfair to those who have invested in that particular business,” he said.
He further appealed to commuters to bear with the decision, describing the proposed fare adjustment as a necessary response to prevailing economic conditions rather than an arbitrary increase.
The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Commercial Transport Operators of Ghana announced a 20% increase in public transport fares effective Tuesday, June 2, 2026, citing persistent increases in fuel prices and the cost of vehicle spare parts as the basis for the adjustment.
