GPRTU fare cut doesn’t cover us – Online Drivers Union
By Solomon Nartey Tetteh
The Ghana Online Drivers Union has clarified that the recent 15% transport fare reduction announced by the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) does not apply to ride-hailing services such as Uber, Bolt, and Yango.
According to the Union, they were not consulted in the decision-making process, and as such, drivers on digital platforms are not bound by the directive.
Speaking to the media, President of the Ghana Online Drivers Union, Mr. Francis Tengey, emphasized that their union is not affiliated with the GPRTU or the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and therefore operates independently.
“What the GPRTU did does not include us because we were not consulted. We are not part of their union. We represent drivers on platforms like Uber, Bolt, and Yango, but our union is not recognized by the GPRTU or the TUC,” Mr. Tengey said.
He further noted that the union was not represented at the meeting between the GPRTU and the Ministry of Transport that led to the fare reduction announcement.
“As unions and representatives of ride-hailing drivers, we were excluded from the discussions. Our customers, therefore, cannot benefit from the 15% fare reduction,” he stressed.
Mr. Tengey called for formal recognition of the Ghana Online Drivers Union, arguing that it would enable better engagement with stakeholders and allow passengers on ride-hailing platforms to benefit from broader economic relief measures.
“We are appealing to the government—specifically the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations—to work together to regulate the sector and formally recognize our union. With that recognition, such directives could be issued through us,” he said. Meanwhile, consumer rights group CUTS International is calling on the government to enforce the fare reduction directive across all transport operators. The group urged local assemblies to deregister and sanction commercial drivers who fail to implement the cuts, arguing that commuters deserve relief following the recent drop in fuel prices and appreciation of the cedi.
