New Fares Will Be Maintained For 6 Months - Minister

The Deputy Transport Minister, Mrs Joyce Bewa-Motgatri says there won't be any increase in fares till the middle of the year following some measures put in place by government. �Whatever rates of increment are introduced today, will be maintained for the next six months. There will be no increasing beyond 10% in the coming weeks,� she stated. According to her, government has put in place structures to ensure that the current adjustments remain until the first half of the year. Two weeks ago, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) announced a 6% increase in petrol prices whiles gas process went up by 8%. This has led to an increase in fares. In a statement issued by the Ghana Road Transport Operators (GRTO) it said fares for taxis will see an increase from 10 pesewas to 1.40 pesewas, distances which cost 50 pesewas are now 60 pesewas and fares which cost GhC 7 is now GhC 8.40. Transportation in intra-city buses have gone up by 10 pesewas and 50 pesewas as well as long distance intercity fares are also up by 50 and GhC 13.50. Speaking on Accra-based radio station, Joy Fm, Mrs Joyce Bewa-Motgatri explained that due to the 10% cumulative increase in petroleum products by the NPA, and the envisaged increase of 10 % in February, the Ministry of Transport negotiated with transporters over a 20% increase for the next six to eight weeks. �The idea was to get a 70% increment for the time being but we maintain that since the increment in vision was not going to exceed 20% for the next six to eight weeks, what we wanted to do was to agree on ways that will hold for the next 6 months. So through the negotiation we arrived at the 20% which we take into cognisance this present 10% and the one that will be coming up in February,� she said. She assured commuters that the Ministry of Energy and the National Petroleum Authority have assured the Ministry that there will be no increases in the coming weeks.