The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has announced a crackdown on commercial transport operators charging unapproved fares in the metropolis. The warning was issued during an engagement with leaders of 24 registered transport unions. The meeting focused on traffic congestion, terminal management, and road safety. KMA's Head of Transport Department, Randy Wilson, emphasized that charging fares outside approved rates is a punishable offense. The Assembly will no longer be lenient, with tougher sanctions, including prosecution and public naming of offenders.
According to Randy Wilson, the old regime of merely impounding offending vehicles and fining them is over. The Assembly will now prosecute drivers and vehicle owners who charge illegal fares. Wilson warned that KMA will publish the names of those prosecuted to serve as a deterrent. He also directed all unions and routes that had unilaterally increased fares to revert to the old fares. The approved 8% increment must be calculated on the existing, approved fare, not on illegally adjusted fares.
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Progressive Transport Owners' Association (PROTOA), Joseph Mensah, expressed support for KMA's initiatives. He blamed unregulated 'trotro' operators for charging unapproved fares and short-short loading. Mensah cited Regulation 146 of Ghana's Road Traffic Regulations, which requires commercial drivers and operators to belong to a recognized transport union. He called on KMA to issue official stickers to registered commercial vehicles to expose unregulated operators.
The Regional Director of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Kwasi Agyenim Boateng, urged operators to prioritize compliance with road safety regulations. He emphasized that a safer and more efficient transport system requires collective effort. Speaking on behalf of the mayor, the Metro Coordinating Director, Francis Dwira Darko, highlighted the importance of continuous engagement with transport operators to identify challenges and find solutions.
Randy Wilson warned that KMA task forces will be deployed to monitor compliance, and any driver found culpable will have their vehicle arrested and prosecuted. He emphasized that the Assembly will insist on calculating the 8% increment from the existing fare, not the new one. Wilson stressed that it is essential to restore discipline and sanity on the roads and in fare administration within the metropolis.
Joseph Mensah noted that the activities of unregulated operators are tarnishing the image of law-abiding transport unions and creating tension between drivers and passengers. He expressed hope that the sticker system will make enforcement easier and protect passengers from exploitation. The engagement between KMA and transport unions aims to make transportation in Kumasi safer, more organized, and efficient.
The KMA's crackdown on unapproved transport fares is part of its quarterly engagements with transport operators. The Assembly is committed to working with stakeholders to improve mobility and enhance the daily experience of commuters across Kumasi. The move is timely and necessary to address the challenges facing the transport sector in the metropolis.
Key points
- KMA to prosecute and publicly name transport operators charging unapproved fares
- Transport unions to revert to old fares and calculate 8% increment accordingly
- KMA to deploy task forces to monitor compliance and enforce regulations
