GPRTU Taskforce Clamps Down on Illegal Fares at Kasoa

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) taskforce has started clamping down on commercial drivers in Kasoa who are charging passengers fares above the approved rates. Deputy National Public Relations Officer Samuel Amoah, who leads the taskforce, said the union has received complaints that some drivers are demanding up to 30 percent more than the eight percent increase that was recently approved for transport fares. The exercise focuses on key loading points along the busy Kasoa-Accra corridor, where many drivers regularly pick up passengers for long journeys to the capital. Amoah stressed that the monitoring is not meant to punish drivers, but to protect ordinary passengers from being overcharged when they travel.

The taskforce engaged directly with drivers and their assistants at the loading sites, asking them to refund any excess fares already collected and to register their fares with the union. During these confrontations, some passengers expressed relief, saying they had been forced to pay unreasonable sums for trips that normally cost far less. Others complained that they had been unable to board vehicles because of the chaotic nature of the fare disputes. Samuel Amoah urged both drivers and passengers to stay calm, explaining that the exercise would include an education phase where both sides would be taught the new fare structure.

A key part of the taskforce’s plan is to prevent panic or unnecessary alarm over a potential future rise in fuel prices. Amoah assured drivers that the GPRTU is closely watching the fuel market and will review transport fares again only if the current pressures on fuel prices become sustained. Until then, the union wants drivers to honour the approved eight percent increase and refrain from any further hikes that are not officially sanctioned. This measured approach reflects how transport issues directly affect everyday Ghanaians, especially workers and commuters who rely on minibus services every day.

The latest monitoring operation underscores the ongoing tension between transport operators and passengers over fare setting in Ghana’s urban centres. With Kasoa serving as a major hub for commuters travelling to Accra, any instability in fare enforcement quickly ripples through the wider economy. The taskforce has not announced an extension of the operation beyond weeks of public education, but its next phase may involve collaborate with state agencies if violations persist. For now, commuters hope that the renewed enforcement will bring some stability to fares at a time when many are struggling with rising living costs.