The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) has rejected a proposed 20% increase in transport fares, describing the move as premature and lacking justification under current market conditions.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, COPEC said no official agreement had been reached with the major transport unions to support the fare hike announced by the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC), which is scheduled to take effect on Friday, August 8.
“Our checks with various transport unions including the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and other driver unions indicate no such decision has been taken,” COPEC stated. “It is also difficult to comprehend what matrices informs any such drastic upward reviews of public transport fares as that affects largely the poor and already suffering masses.”
The GRTCC had cited the newly introduced GH¢1 per litre fuel levy, rising spare part costs, and poor road conditions as key factors driving the need for the fare adjustment. But COPEC argued that fuel prices, while slightly up due to the levy, remain far below levels seen in January 2025, when fares were last reviewed.
“The pricing levels as of today is still not anywhere near the January prices from which transport fare discussions could be had,” the statement said, calling the move “surprising” and unwarranted.
COPEC also criticised recent efforts to reintroduce road tolls, warning that such measures would increase operational costs for drivers without adequate consultation. “Clearly, this attempt to reintroduce the tolls system will have some monetary impact on their daily operations and we believe they must be consulted broadly before any such attempts are crystalised,” it said.
The chamber further emphasised that fare increases should not be based on policy intentions or assumptions. “An intention which has not yet been enforced cannot and should not form the basis of any increment in transport fares,” it noted, warning that doing so would deepen the financial burden on the public and spark wider dissatisfaction over rising living costs.
COPEC welcomed the GPRTU’s rejection of the fare increase and called for broad-based engagement among stakeholders before any further review of transport costs. “It is refreshing to note that the largest transport union has already rejected any such attempts at increasing fares at this time as the prices for both spare parts and fuel cannot be said to have increased.”
The proposed 20% fare hike is expected to affect shared taxis, intra-city services (trotros), long-distance travel, and haulage transport, if implemented.
Statement by COPEC
