Following the recently held National Democratic Congress (NDC) elections to choose Its Presidential Candidate and Members to represent Parliament in the upcoming 2024 General Elections in Ghana, the Akufo-Addo-led New Patriotic Party (NPP) has taken a very proactive action to tackle transport-related issues, a prime factor of inflation, a development party members believe will close the International Monetary Fund negotiations before June 2023.
On Monday, May 15, Public Transport Operators agreed to review fares downwards by 10% after continuous reductions in prices of petroleum products in recent weeks. The cedi has gained strength against the dollar in the global market.
However, on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, the IMF’s Executive Board approved a $3 billion, three-year loan program for Ghana, allowing for an immediate disbursement of about $600 million and a potential path out of the West African country’s worst economic crisis in a generation.
Regardless, some drivers have made a decision not to agree to the fare reduction rate announced by the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council and Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) in the press Statement released.
Reporting on the Hot Morning Drive aired on 93.9 MHz in Accra, Nyansa Kyeame Yaw Boadi stated that in a survey to gather information on the press release by various Transport Unions, public motorists adhering to the fare reduction were not operating on the approved rate (10%) while others did not follow the development at all.
“I have been in an intra-city (trotro) public transport today…….. I observed a reduction in my payment even though the rate was not exact, Nyansa reported on the Hot Morning Drive.”
“There has been no reduction in fare today, several callers on the mid-morning show also stated.”
The largest opposition party of the incumbent government elected Former President John Mahama to lead the 2024 General Elections as a Presidential Flagbearer after going to the polls last Saturday.
Meanwhile, the NPP has set November 4, 2023, as the date for its presidential primaries to select a flag bearer for the general election in 2024. However, if more than five candidates file to run in the primaries, the party will call a Special Congress on August 26.
Passengers are to remain calm as crucial configurations by the Ministry’s directives to make sure all modes of public transport comply with the development in tackling the country’s inflation rate.
More to come
