The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has put its proposed 30% increase in public transport fares on hold, with passengers to continue paying existing fares while a fresh operating cost review is conducted.
The union says the proposed fare adjustment remains under consideration and could still be implemented after consultations with the government and an assessment of the current cost of running commercial vehicles.
Deputy Public Relations Officer of the GPRTU, Samuel Amoah, said the decision to suspend the planned increase followed a meeting with the Ministry of Transport on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
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He explained that the two sides agreed to form a committee to examine the various cost components that influence transport fares before a final decision is taken.
“We are not going to increase for now, but we are doing a cost review to check if, going forward, the increments will come or not,” Mr Amoah said on Eyewitness News on Wednesday, September 9.
The GPRTU had proposed a 30% increase in transport fares following increases in fuel prices and other operational expenses.
The proposal was subsequently submitted to the Ministry of Transport for consideration, but the government called for a fresh assessment of the costs being used to justify the increase.
According to Mr Amoah, the review will consider fuel prices, spare parts and other major inputs required by commercial transport operators.
He said the government had argued that the recent appreciation of the Ghanaian cedi should result in lower prices for imported spare parts, making it necessary to reassess the actual cost burden on transport operators.
“Finally, the agreement between the GPRTU and the transport ministry was that we form a committee to just check on the cost inputs for them to put those things together,” he explained.
The outcome of the review will determine whether the proposed 30% fare increase will eventually be implemented or withdrawn.
Mr Amoah indicated that the union expects the assessment to be completed before the next fuel-pricing window, which is expected around the middle of September.
He said the GPRTU would return to the negotiation table with the government after the review to determine the way forward.
“We’ll still go back to the negotiation table to see what we are supposed to do. Either we still go ahead and increase. If we have to go ahead to increase, we’ll be there,” he said.
For now, however, commuters are not expected to pay higher fares.
The GPRTU, together with the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council, has directed drivers, station masters and transport owners to maintain the existing approved fares until the consultations and review are completed.
The cost review decision provides temporary relief for passengers who had been bracing for a possible 30% increase, but the possibility of higher fares remains as the transport operators assess the effect of fuel prices and other operating costs on their businesses.
The development also comes amid concerns over the direction of fuel prices, with the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) warning that rising global crude oil prices could push petroleum prices higher during the second pricing window of September.
If fuel prices increase further, the pressure on transport operators could intensify and potentially strengthen calls for an adjustment in fares.