The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Roads and Transport Committee, Kennedy Osei Nyarko, has criticised the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) for arresting drivers over alleged fare violations, describing the action as unlawful.
A GPRTU task force recently arrested six drivers operating on the Sowutuom, Kwashieman, and Odorkor routes in Accra for allegedly splitting journeys into segments and charging passengers multiple fares.
Speaking in an interview, the National GPRTU Guard Commander, Drumond Ekow Gaisie, said the drivers would be handed over to the police for prosecution.
“We will be taking them to the Odorkor Police Station for prosecution. I entreat drivers involved in such acts to stop, otherwise we will fish them out,” he warned.
Mr Osei Nyarko insisted that there is no law empowering the GPRTU or its task force to arrest drivers or seize vehicles over fare-related issues.
“I believe there is no law that backs the action of this GPRTU. It is illegal for the task force of the GPRTU to go ahead and arrest individuals or members of the union purported to have charged unapproved prices,” he said.
He argued that while the union has internal rules and regulations, it should rely on disciplinary measures such as fines or suspension, rather than arrests.
“I thought that was not the best approach. It is good that every union has its own rules and regulations, but it is also important to understand that Ghana operates a liberalised economy, where prices are largely influenced by market forces,” he stated.
Mr Osei Nyarko further noted that Ghana no longer operates under strict price control regimes, giving drivers flexibility to set fares in line with prevailing conditions.
“We are not in the PNDC era where there was price control and drivers or sellers had to stick to fixed prices. As we speak, there is no law that prohibits any seller or driver from charging certain prices,” he said.
He concluded that although the GPRTU has the authority to discipline its members, it exceeded its mandate by arresting drivers and seizing their vehicles.
“The GPRTU could have suspended their membership or fined them, but to arrest them and seize their vehicles goes beyond their mandate,” he added.
