Over the past few days, following the implementation of the 15% transport fare reduction, we have witnessed amusing and disturbing moments as many public transport drivers have yet to come to terms with this new development. They claim traders have still not reduced prices. Some of them claim things are still expensive, and so they do not see the need to reduce transport fares.
Most of the time, when adjustments are being made to transport fares, heated confrontations and fights are expected. And this period has not been exempt, as every day comes with news of fights and altercations between drivers, trotro mates, and their passengers. Below are some of the funny moments that have occurred since the implementation of the 15% reduction that are going to crack you up.
Heated confrontations between drivers and passengers
Some of these incidents were seen during a heated altercation between a conductor and a passenger over a cedi change, claiming he had not gotten the official list indicating the fare reduction.
This happened in a Madina-Accra-bound trotro. Passengers were quick to remind him that if the fare had gone up, he would have printed the updated fare list himself and wouldn’t have waited for anyone to give it to him.
Drivers return passengers to pick-up points
A driver returned passengers to the Nkrumah Circle station because the passengers refused to pay the old fares. In Kumasi, a similar incident happened where a driver returned passengers travelling from Santasi to Tech Junction after they refused to pay the old fares, which reflected the 15% reduction.
Another viral video surfaced online in which a taxi driver brought a passenger back to the UPSA Junction taxi rank after the passenger had refused to pay the old price.
But this brings the question: Is the situation that bad for the drivers that they would rather waste their fuel and do a return trip without getting paid than accept the new fare?
Photos of vehicle number plates going viral
The internet has been flooded with photos of cars and their number plates, indicating that the drivers of these cars refused to accept the old fares. People who posted these photos on the internet also tagged the Ghana Police Service to find those drivers and arrest them for flouting the rules.
Drivers of ride-hailing apps dissociate self from 15% fare reduction
Users of Uber, Bolt, and Yango should not expect a decrease in fare as online Drivers have said that they are they are exempt from the ongoing transport fare reduction due to their exclusion from the decision-making process. They claim that they have not been accredited with the Trade Union (TUC) since 2021, and the 15% fare reduction cannot be applied to their digital transport platforms. Therefore, they rejected a directive from the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) to implement a 15% reduction in transport fares, citing unresolved issues such as high booking fees, lack of regulation, and absence of formal recognition.
Passengers disembark trotro
Passengers at Lapaz got down from a trotro and hooted at the driver and his mate for refusing to accept the new fares. The driver allowed the passengers to get down and drove off with the empty bus. It is still surprising that drivers would prefer to drive around with empty vehicles than to move with a full one and accept the new fare.
Fortunately, the cedi keeps appreciating, and hopefully, it stays that way. Yet prices of commodities do not seem to change much, coupled with the tensions that have risen because of fare reduction. Transport authorities and other stakeholders are being called upon to take effective measures to ensure that prices are reduced as they ought to be. This will bring peace and calm the atmosphere in the country.
