The Ghana Private Road Transport Union’s (GPRTU) 15% reduction in transport fares directive to all transport services has been disregarded by the Ghana Online Drivers Union, citing concerns of neglect in decision-making.

According to the ride-hailing drivers, they were exempted from participating in the decision-making process that brought about the transport fare reduction.

Thus, they have no business complying with transport fare reductions.

“What the GPRTU did does not include us, because we have not been consulted. We are not part of them. We are the users of Uber, Bolt, and Yango. We have a union, but our union is not recognized by the GPRTU or the Trade Union."

“As unions and representatives of the drivers, we were not part of the meeting that GPRTU and the Ministry of Transport held. We were not represented. So our customers cannot enjoy the 15% reduction on prices," President of the Ghana Online Drivers Union, Francis Tengey, told the media.

Mr Tengey further revealed that an application was sent on behalf of the Uber, Bolt, and Yango drivers about 4 years ago to enable them to form part of the group, but they have not received any response yet.

“Although we have applied since 2021 to be affiliated with TUC, we have not yet gotten that accreditation. So GPRTU giving this directive does not include us. Uber does not know GPRTU, Bolt and Yango do not know GPRTU," Mr Tengey expressed.

On the other hand, consumer advocacy group, CUTS International, has entreated local assemblies to erase commercial drivers from their register if they fail to comply with the price reduction directive.

It has entreated the government to ensure that Ghanaians are not deprived of enjoying transport fare reductions.

Transport stations and branches that have refused to comply with the recent directive on the 15% fare reduction by the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) are liable to sanctions by the union.

Some transport operators in the Ashanti Region have refused to adhere to the recent directive that seeks to provide some economic relief to commuters. They have attributed the delay in adjusting fares to the late receipt of the official instruction.

But the General Secretary of GPRTU has indicated that the communique has been reissued and assured that measures have been put in place to ensure full compliance in the coming days.

Other transport operators in the Volta Region are working with a 10 percent reduction in transport fares, citing the spiking prices of spare parts and the failure of the authorities to see to a reduction.

A section of spare parts dealers at Abossey Okai has insisted on not reducing the prices of their items, despite the value of the Ghanaian cedi gaining strength against the U.S dollar. This comes after the Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association in the Greater Accra Region directed its members to reduce prices of spare parts.

Meanwhile, Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) Abbas Ibrahim Moro has resolved his outfit of blame over the failure of transport operators to implement the new reduced fares.

According to Mr Moro, in an interview on Adom FM's Dwaso Nsem, the enforcement of the new transport directive must be carried out by law enforcement agencies and not GPRTU.

“We have done our part by communicating the reduction and informing our members, who are complying earnestly. But a few members of unregistered unions have decided not to comply. So it is in the hands of law enforcement agencies to ensure full compliance,” he stated.

He added: "The law enforcement agencies must set an example out of some drivers and let people know we are governed by laws and they work. There is no way any member will do unlawful things and go scot-free."

Some Ghanaians have taken it upon themselves to expose the drivers and bus conductors who continue to rob commuters of hard-earned money.