Commuters in Sekondi – Takoradi in the Western Region are advocating for the creation of a government – controlled intra-city transport service to curb what they describe as arbitrary and exploitative fare increases by private operators and their drivers.
The calls come amid mounting frustration over inconsistent pricing, route manipulation, and a lack of enforcement by transport leaders.
“It is frustrating to get to the lorry terminals and find no uniformity in fares,” one commuter told ConnectFM’s news and current affairs program Asem Yi Dzi Ka.
“Private transport owners increase fares according to their own whims and caprices, even when there’s an official calculation formula. They implement these increases almost immediately, but when it comes to reducing fares, they never do the same.”
Others lamented the lack of order in the current system, particularly for intra-city travel.
“You’ll see a driver ply a route in the morning but refuse to do so after 4 p.m.,” another commuter said. “They’ll only agree if you pay extra. How are passengers supposed to get home in the evening if drivers don’t want to work? This happens everywhere. When you complain to terminal leaders, they do nothing, only for you to find out later that they own the very vehicles causing the problem.”
Many commuters believe a state-managed intra-city transport service could curb arbitrary fare hikes and restore order.
“Imagine government-run vehicles operating between Takoradi, Kojokrom, Shama, and Effiakuma at cheaper, standardized rates,” one passenger suggested. “Private operators would have no choice but to lower fares and treat passengers better, or risk losing business to state vehicles.”
But not everyone blames private transport operators.
“It’s too simplistic to say drivers are just being insensitive,” one driver said. “The cost of running a vehicle – spare parts, lubricants, fuel – keeps rising unpredictably. No one wants to operate at a loss. When costs are high and unstable, the only way to survive is to pass them on to passengers.”
Some also doubt the government could run an intra-city service effectively.
“You can say the government would subsidize it, but it’s unrealistic to keep subsidies flowing when the state is running at a loss,” another driver argued. “Just look at the State Transport Corporation and Metro Mass Transit, they’re on their knees. Many buses are broken down in their yards. If they were making profits, they could repair them. There’s no money. It has become a drain, and the government is struggling to keep them afloat, especially when it gets nothing in return.”
On August 6, 2025, the Ministry of Transport and road transport operators agreed to suspend a proposed 20 percent fare increase after concerns about inadequate consultation. Still, in Sekondi–Takoradi, some commercial drivers have gone ahead and raised their fares, sparking sporadic confrontations with passengers, sometimes escalating into physical fights.
