The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has intensified efforts to protect commuters from arbitrary increases in public transport fares by deploying additional task force personnel to the Central Business District.
The exercise targets trotro, taxi and ride-hailing operators who charge above officially approved fares, particularly during peak periods when demand is high.
The AMA Mayor, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, has warned drivers that charging passengers more than the approved rates constitute a violation of the law and that offenders will be sanctioned.
The intervention comes amid persistent complaints about commuters being forced to pay significantly higher fares because of heavy traffic, vehicle shortages and peak-hour demand. In July, for instance, commuters on the Nungua-Accra route reportedly paid as much as GH¢20 for a journey that ordinarily cost GH¢6.
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly deserves commendation for taking a firm and timely position against the arbitrary charging of transport fares. At a time when household budgets remain under pressure, protecting commuters from exploitative practices is not merely an administrative responsibility; it is a matter of economic fairness.
The Chronicle believes AMA’s decision is a thoughtful initiative. Commercial drivers cannot be allowed to treat approved fares as suggestions that can be ignored whenever demand rises. The Assembly’s own 2017 Operation of Commercial Vehicles Bye-laws expressly prohibits commercial drivers from charging more than fares approved by the Assembly in consultation with transport unions.
Recent developments show why enforcement is necessary. In July, some commuters travelling from Nungua to Accra reportedly paid GH¢20 for a journey whose normal fare was GH¢6 because of a shortage of vehicles. More recently, the GPRTU itself directed drivers who had independently increased fares to revert to approved charges, stressing that fare adjustments must follow the established consultation process.
However, enforcement must not become a simple confrontation between the Assembly and drivers. Commercial transport operators also face genuine pressures, including fuel, maintenance, spare-parts and operational costs. Indeed, transport operators announced a 20 per cent fare adjustment in June 2026, citing rising operating costs. Any sustainable solution must, therefore, recognise both sides.
To The Chronicle, what the AMA must not tolerate is a parallel fare system in which the price depends on the time of day, the weather, traffic congestion or a passenger’s desperation. A commuter leaving home at 4 a.m. should not become an easy target for exploitation simply because alternative transport is limited.
The Assembly should therefore make approved fare charts highly visible at terminals and major loading points, establish simple channels for passengers to report violations, and publish regular information on enforcement activities. Drivers who repeatedly violate the rules should face meaningful sanctions, while commuters should also know exactly what they are required to pay.
Most importantly, the AMA must sustain the exercise beyond the headlines. A short-lived task force operation will only push the problem from one location to another. Consistent monitoring, transparent enforcement and collaboration with transport unions and the Police are what will ultimately restore discipline.
The objective should not be to punish drivers. It should be to create a transport system in which drivers earn fairly and commuters pay fairly. That is the balance Accra needs.
