GOVERNMENT would clamp down on commercial drivers engaged in rent-seeking behaviours to create an artificial shortage of vehicles in the capital city to unlawfully charge unapproved fares, the Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has indicated.
It comes on the back of the use of unorthodox means by some commercial drivers to impose additional financial burdens on commuters, with many passengers compelled to pay far more than the approved fares.
For example, from Ashaiman to Accra or Circle now break the journey into segments. They load from Ashaiman to Lashibi and charge GH¢5.50, then from Lashibi to Nungua for GH¢3.50, Nungua to Teshie for GH¢4.00, before finally loading to Circle and charging GH¢10.00.
Responding to the new strategy by the operators at the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Wednesday, Mr Ofosu decried the practice, saying government was monitoring and urged commercial drivers to desist or face the law.
“Public transport is mainly run by private operators. They have a duty to follow the rules and not take advantage of passengers by creating shortages,” he said”
“It is an unlawful behaviour. Government is [monitoring the situation to ensure that] those involved in that behaviour are brought to book.”
According to Mr Ofosu, MP, Abura Asebu Kwamankese, government has an agreement in place with transport operators to review transport prices twice a year and wondered why some commercial drivers would seek to breach the agreement at a time economic indicators seem favourable to transport operators.
“We urge the transport operators to adhere to the normal practice that we have known all these years and avoid this rent-seeking behaviour which is needlessly creating difficulties for passengers and commuters,” he said.
In the meantime, he said, government was taking steps to deploy STC busses and repair out-of-service Metro Mass Transit buses to augment the fleets of the private sector operators.
“The Transport Minister has ordered urgent repairs on several Metro Mass buses that had broken down so they can return to service within days. The buses will run outside their usual routes and timetables to ease congestion in many areas,” he said.
He was hopeful the deployments would yield results as it did in the run-up to the Christmas festivities.
As passenger volumes swelled ahead of the yuletide, the Transport Ministry deployed STC buses on the Accra-Madina and Adenta; Accra-Achimota and Amasaman; Accra-Mallam and Kasoa; and Accra-Tema Beach Road routes to respond to the upsurge in passenger numbers.
“After the festivities, the vehicles were withdrawn but we note that the rent-seeking behaviour still persists so the Minister has asked the STC to put back the buses on the roads,” Felix Kwakye Ofosu said.
He acknowledged that Government could only play an “in reading role” in the space which is largely private sector driven but would not sit arms folded for the commuting public to be exploited.
“So these private sector players must play by the rules and avoid the unfair exploitation of passengers through the creation of artificial scarcity in order to drive up prices. There’s no justifiable basis for wanting to engage in rent-seeking behaviour at this time when there’s evidence of reduction in fuel prices and spare parts. We urge them to desist or action will be taken to enforce the appropriate by-laws and regulations,” he stressed.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
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