On a brisk Wednesday morning in Accra, the city’s commuters were once again left stranded, facing long queues and rising fares along the busiest routes.
The cause? A suspected artificial scarcity of commercial vehicles, orchestrated by some transport operators intent on driving up prices.
The tension reached the corridors of power when Joseph Bukari Nikpe, Ghana’s Minister of Transport, took decisive action. Summoning leaders of the Ghana Private Roads and Transport Union (GPRTU) and other commercial transport unions, he demanded answers about the troubling trends that had gripped the sector. The meeting, scheduled for the following day, was set to address mounting complaints about operators limiting vehicle availability in order to profit from desperate commuters, even as fuel prices and import duties on spare parts had recently dropped.
At the Government Accountability Series, Deputy Minister Mr. Kwakye Ofosu voiced the frustrations of many Ghanaians. He revealed that some drivers were deliberately avoiding designated stations, choosing instead to roam the city in hopes of exploiting shortages and extracting higher fares. “They are creating scarcity to drive up prices so that they can engage in rent-seeking behaviour. It is an unlawful activity, and it must be looked into,” he declared.
The situation has worsened since the 2025 yuletide, with commuters in places like Madina, Amasaman, Kasoa, and the famous Kwame Nkrumah Circle struggling to find rides during peak hours. Despite a 15% reduction in official transport fares due to lower fuel costs, many operators have continued to manipulate supply, leaving Accra’s residents facing inflated fares and long waits.
Mr. Ofosu assured the public that the government, acknowledging the private-sector-led nature of transportation, was taking concrete steps to hold offenders accountable. “After the persistent reduction in fuel prices, some operators have decided to engage in undue practices by creating artificial shortages,” he explained. “It is an unlawful activity, and the government is looking at it to ensure those involved are dealt with.”
As the capital’s rush hour challenges persist, the eyes of the nation will be on the outcomes of the minister’s meeting, a test of the government’s resolve to protect commuters and restore order to Ghana’s urban transport system.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
