Residents Of Aburi Up In Arms Over Exorbitant Fares, Threaten Demonstration

Passengers in Aburi in Akuapem South district in Eastern region are up in arms with the transport operators over exorbitant road transport fares. The passengers are also blaming GPRTU for unreasonable increments affecting cost of transportation. Addressing the media, some concerned youth in the Aburi noted with disdain that transportation fares in Aburi to any part of nearby areas

are high compared to other places despite having good roads. The youth in Aburi cited that, whilst a 23km road from Aburi to Madina now cost Ghc13.60, a 26.9 km road from Madina to Dodowa cost Ghc10. The youth argued that transport fare from Aburi to Madina shot up during the reconstruction of Tetteh Quarshie to Mamfe road two decades ago due to diversion of the road

through Kitase -Brekuso to Kwabenya. However, drivers failed to reverse the Ghc2 additional increment as agreed with passengers after the construction of the road rather keeps increasing the fares unfairly. This they say is worsening the plight of the people and also affecting businesses and tourism. Fred Odei Addo Duodu, Secretary to the youth group demanded

immediate reduction in transport fares else the youth will rise. He further stated that it is our fervent prayer that our demands today on paper must translate into a renewed action by the transport unions to expose those unscrupulous drivers who charge exorbitantly based on their own discretion, push for bolder policies to flush out drivers who disregard the approved general pricing

principle by the transport unions. Some opinion leaders in the community said they have made several efforts to petition the Greater Accra Regional GPRTU executives and Akuapem South District Chief Executive but the GPRTU have failed to act on their grievances. Residents have given one-week ultimatum for the fares to also be reduced else will stage massive demonstration and

subsequently expulsed recalcitrant drivers from plying to Aburi township. However, some of the drivers told the media, they can’t not be blamed because they only implement fares approved by GPRTU.