Mr. Justice Kwame Frimpong, the Deputy Bono Regional Vice Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), has voiced his concerns regarding the difficulty faced by the union's secretariat in controlling commercial drivers in the region who are charging new lorry fares.

Despite instructions from the GPRTU instructing its members to hold off on a proposed 30 percent increment on transport fares nationwide, Mr. Frimpong expressed worry over reports indicating that some drivers have disregarded these instructions and implemented new fares.

He emphasized that this situation could lead to misunderstandings and confrontations between commercial drivers and passengers, highlighting the need for swift action to address the issue.

While acknowledging the challenges faced by drivers due to rising costs of fuel, spare parts, insurance, licenses, and roadworthy renewal charges, Mr. Frimpong appealed to drivers to exercise patience. He also called on the national leadership of the union to expedite the process for implementing new fares to prevent further escalation of the situation.

In a related development, the Progressive Transport Owners Association (PROTOA) cautioned its members against charging new fares. Mr. Peter Akom, the National Organiser of the Association, emphasized that members should refrain from implementing new fares until negotiations between the government and transport unions are concluded.

Mr. Akom reiterated that it is an offense for drivers to independently calculate and charge new fares, emphasizing the importance of patience and adherence to established procedures.

Overall, both GPRTU and PROTOA are urging commercial drivers to await official guidance on fare adjustments and to avoid taking unilateral actions that could disrupt the transportation system and inconvenience passengers.