Motorbike riders in Ghana are seeing their profits dwindle as they struggle to keep up with rising fuel costs without being able to increase their fares accordingly. Riders report that passengers and clients often protest when asked to pay higher fares, making it difficult to pass on the increased fuel costs.
Fuel prices have risen several times this year, including two hikes in July. At the beginning of the year, petrol and diesel sold for around GH¢11.71 per litre and GH¢12.13 per litre, respectively. Currently, petrol is priced at approximately GH¢15.10 per litre, and diesel at GH¢15.25 per litre, marking a 29% increase for petrol and a 25% increase for diesel. While these increases should ideally lead to higher fares, motorbike riders find that their passengers are unwilling to pay more.
“If you charge someone GH¢80 to Madina from Accra Newtown, they tell you another rider charged GH¢30, so they will pay GH¢30, and that is not helping us,” said Abubakar, a motorbike rider in Newtown, a suburb of Accra, speaking to The High Street Journal in Twi, a widely spoken Ghanaian language.
Nasiru, another rider, echoed similar frustrations. “The prices of fuel have increased, but we can’t increase the fare because customers will fight us; they think we are cheating them.” He explained that fares from Alajo, a suburb of Accra, to the Central Business District used to be between GH¢25 and GH¢30. With the recent fuel price hike, they tried charging GH¢40, but customers resisted, deeming the price too high. As a result, riders are often forced to accept the old fares to avoid losing customers. “When I buy fuel for GH¢30, it takes me to only one destination, so I can’t even save any longer,” Nasiru added.
The rising fuel prices in Ghana are largely attributed to the depreciating value of the local currency. Unlike commercial transport drivers who are unionized and can announce general fare increases, motorbike riders operate individually and must negotiate fares with each passenger.
The continuous fuel price hikes and the inability to adjust fares accordingly are putting significant financial strain on motorbike riders, jeopardizing their livelihoods and making it challenging to sustain their businesses.
