COPEC Kicks Against 20% Transport Fare Hike, Calls It Unjustified and Premature
COPEC says proposed fare hike lacks justification, urges broader consultation amid falling fuel prices and unchanged toll policies.
- COPEC rejects the proposed 20% transport fare hike
- Transport unions, including GPRTU, have not confirmed any official fare increase
- The group urges thorough stakeholder consultation
The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) has strongly dismissed reports of a 20% hike in public transport fares expected to take effect Friday, August 8, 2025.
In a press statement released on Tuesday, COPEC said its investigations revealed no official agreement between key transport unions, including the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), regarding any such increment.
Describing the announcement by the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) as unwarranted, COPEC argued that current economic conditions make it unfair to burden Ghanaians with higher transport costs.
Executive Secretary Duncan Amoah highlighted that although a new GH¢1 fuel levy was recently introduced, fuel prices have dropped significantly since January—from GH¢15 to around GH¢11–12 per litre—making a fare increase hard to justify.
He recalled how some drivers reduced fares earlier this year by 15%, but others resisted until pressured by local authorities. “Today’s fuel levels are still below the January highs, and there’s no clear basis for increasing fares now,” Amoah asserted.
COPEC also criticized any attempt to factor in the reintroduction of road tolls into fare adjustments, stressing that such tolls are yet to be implemented and therefore cannot be used to support fare hikes.
The organisation lauded GPRTU for distancing itself from the proposed increase and called on all stakeholders to engage in proper consultations before making any decision that may worsen the cost of living for commuters.
