Drivers Reject 13% Increment In Public Transport Fare

Addressing a press conference in Accra today Wednesday, June 3, 2021, the leadership of the Concerned Drivers Association of Ghana in persons, Aminu Issifu, Nii Ashie, Paa Willie stated that, the 13% increment cannot help in any way to sustain our businesses considering the rate of increment in spare parts and fuel commodities in recent times.

"If we agree to the proposal made by the government, we stand a greater risk of kicking ourselves out of business."In view of this, we wish to categorically state that, the actual increment in terms of percentage according to our calculations should have been 20%," the drivers stressed.

They, therefore, gave a two days ultimatum to the government up to review the proposal.

"Without mincing words, we shall implement the 20% increment starting from Saturday should government fail to grant for us what we are seeking for." It is a matter of knowledge to all Ghanaians the vehicular traffic situations drivers encounter on our main routes," they noted. In recent times, they pointed out that it has taken drivers more than 10hours to drive from Accra to Kumasi. 

According to them, those crossing the Adomi bridge have also encountered similar situations whilst those plying the Kasoa-Cape Coast stretch have also not been spared. They noted that such traffic situations cause more consumption of fuel. They said that it must be considered that, the combined situations are causing our inability to render sales to our vehicle owners. 

"This situation is sending us to our early graves gradually as we face continuous intimidation by our car owners," they noted.

"We would like to mention that, we the members of C-DAG and our colleagues with the GPRTU, Cooperative, and PROTOA shall not countenance any form of intimidation of any driver by anyone from the National Security or any other state security agency.

"We shall not hesitate to invoke curses with schnapps and a black dog on anyone who dares to intimidate us after our 20% increment," they emphasized.

The leadership of the drivers called on Ghanaians to rally behind them since they would not be happy to see their businesses collapse.

 Freeman Koryekpor Awlesu, Greater Accra Region