Review salaries alongside transport fares to cushion commuters – COPEC

Duncan Amoah, Executive Director of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), has suggested that salaries and transport fares may need to be reviewed together to alleviate the financial burden on commuters due to rising living costs. This comes as commercial transport operators face higher fuel and maintenance expenses, while commuters relying on public transport would ultimately bear the repercussions of increased fares.

Amoah urged organized labor, including the Trades Union Congress (TUC), to engage with government and employers on possible salary adjustments to assist workers who are not receiving wage increases.

Amoah argued that the end consumer will ultimately bear the brunt of the financial strain, as salaries have not been raised. He emphasized that stakeholders who rely on public transport, such as those who must pay their salaries, may continue to suffer. Therefore, he proposed that wages and incomes might need to be increased. This suggestion comes amidst ongoing discussions between the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the government regarding the GPRTU's request for a transport fare adjustment.

The GPRTU seeks an increase in fares as operators grapple with rising operational costs, including fuel.

While the government's intervention on diesel prices has provided some relief, it has not halted the upward trend in fuel costs. Amoah noted that even with the intervention, adjustments to transport fares might still be necessary to ensure drivers generate sufficient revenue to maintain their vehicles. He called for the adoption of a more scientific approach to determining transport fares, suggesting a "cost-per-kilometre and cost-per-passenger model" to make fare adjustments more objective and reduce the need for negotiations whenever operational costs change.