Commercial Drivers at Ho-Amedzope Refuse to Reduce Transport Fares Despite GPRTU's Directive
- Commercial drivers on the Ho-Amedzope route are reportedly ignoring a GPRTU directive to reduce fares by 15 per cent
- The GPRTU Ho branch secretary claims drivers have reduced the fare from GH¢25 to GH¢22
- The situation mirrors a recent arrest of a driver in Adidome for failing to comply with the fare reduction directive
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Commercial drivers operating on the Ho-Amedzope route are reportedly disregarding a directive from the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) to reduce transport fares by 15 per cent.
This comes despite a nationwide reduction in fuel prices and a clear instruction from the GPRTU in May for drivers to implement the fare cut.
Source: Getty Images
The GPRTU Secretary at the Ho branch, Atama, maintains that drivers are adhering to the new fare structure.
According to him, the fare has been reduced from GH¢25 to GH¢22.
“They are not taking GH¢25. That was what they were taking initially, but now they take GH¢22…” Mr. Atama said in a phone interview with YEN.com.gh.
He further explained that the higher initial fare was due to the challenging terrain of Amedzope, a mountainous area, which makes it difficult for drivers to secure return passengers, especially in the evening or at night.
He stated that the commercial drivers sometimes return with empty vehicles.
“The thing is, Amedzope is situated in a mountainous area, so when passengers are going there in the evening or night, drivers charge them a little more than the normal fare because it is always difficult getting passengers from there back to Ho. Some even come back with empty vehicles, but what they take now is GH¢22,” the Ho GPRTU official said.
He also asserted that the GPRTU is actively monitoring the situation and that tickets issued to passengers clearly indicate the GH¢22 fare.
“We are always here at the station, so we will always know if a driver takes 25 GHS from passengers. The ticket we issue even has the GH¢22 written on it,” Atama indicated.
However, this account is contradicted by regular commuters on the route.
Hagan, a frequent user of the Ho-Amedzope route, claims that drivers have continued to charge GH¢25 since last year, despite the directive for a reduction.
“...that's how much [GH¢25 ] they take since last year even though they are supposed to reduce it. When you say it, they will tell you they didn't increase the fare somewhere last year when they [drivers] were supposed to do so,” she told YEN.com.gh.
Passengers bemoan lack of options
A basic school teacher who teaches in Amedzope corroborated Hagan's statement, highlighting the lack of options for passengers and the absence of ticketing.
“I've heard that we are to be paying GH¢22, but they won't accept it, and so we have no option but to pay the usual amount. Even when you come to the station [in Ho] and enter a taxi, you aren't given a ticket,” the teacher, who prefers to not be named, said.
This situation on the Ho-Amedzope route mirrors a recent incident where a 28-year-old commercial driver, Egey Desire, was arrested in Adidome in the Central Tongu District, for failing to implement the 15 per cent fare reduction. He is currently facing prosecution.
Source: Getty Images
Ho resident complain of cost of living
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that despite the 24 per cent appreciation of the Ghanaian cedi in 2025, transport fares and prices in Ho did not decrease as expected.
Drivers cited fuel prices and maintenance costs as reasons for not lowering fares.
According to the Bank of Ghana, the cedi had gained more than 24 per cent against the U.S. dollar by mid-2025.
Source: YEN.com.gh
