The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has urged Ghanaians to be grateful for the 13 per cent increment in transport fares.

According to the union, other transport unions had proposed a thirty per cent increment instead.

The GPRTU and Road Transport Coordinating Council announced an increment in transport fares on Wednesday, which will be in effect from Saturday, June 5.

This followed weeks of negotiations over hikes in fuel prices.

The revised fare has affected the operations of the intra-city transport operators popularly known as trotro. Passengers have complained about the hardship it will bring.

Some Ghanaians lamented that the increment would make life difficult for them.

They lamented the new fare would cause an increase in commodities among others.

“Once transportation is increased, it goes to the ordinary commodities and the prices would also shoot up and that’s going to make life very difficult,” some Ghanaians said.

Another commuter also revealed that Salaries have not been increased and the economy is so bad that People are not purchasing from market women. “I mean nothing is working in this economy, at the end of the day, what have they put in place for us to be able to receive that money and payback.”

But communications officer for the GPRTU Abass Ibrahim Moro said the union must rather be applauded for increasing fares by only 13% per cent. “I thought they were even going to clap for us.”

“In the country where you heard other colleagues even came up with 30%, we asked them to take it easy, they really listened to us. We started buying this current price of fuel for some time now and we are not making any money, we are running at a loss.”

He added,  “the truth is we are not happy with 13% but we said yes, everything is hard. I’m very happy they have admitted this because we are also suffering in this country.

Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5fm