Kumasi assembly impounds vehicles and threatens prosecution over fares above the new rates

Pinned summary · as of 04:55

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has stepped up enforcement against commercial drivers who charge passengers more than the newly approved transport fares. Officials say offenders now face prosecution rather than only fines or impounding, and a taskforce has begun operations at busy loading points in the city.

What we know

• Public transport fares in the Ashanti Region were raised by 8%, and the KMA has cautioned drivers not to collect more than the approved rates.
• The assembly says drivers found charging above the approved rates will be prosecuted, and vehicles can be seized. Randy Wilson, who heads the KMA Transport Department, added that vehicle owners could be summoned.
• Both the assembly's taskforce leader, Mohammed Muntari Alhassan, and Joseph Mensah of the Progressive Transport Owners' Association (PROTOA) asked passengers to report drivers who overcharge.
• The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly has cautioned drivers that the approved fares are binding and that breaches can lead to court action.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  Mr Alhassan told MyJoyOnline that the exercise is being carried out in phases and will not be short-lived, and he asked vehicle owners to warn their drivers against overcharging. This comes from one report.
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  MyJoyOnline reported that the joint taskforce of police, military and KMA guards had seized about ten vehicles in Kumasi's Central Business District, and quoted Mr Alhassan as saying, "So far, we have impounded about ten vehicles." No other report has confirmed the number.
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  Passengers told MyJoyOnline that drivers and their mates push fares up in the evening rush, and that some drivers split long trips into short stages to collect several fares. Some drivers rejected this and said they had applied the 8% rise strictly. The claims have not been verified.
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  The Ghana Report said some drivers raised their fares before the official adjustment was announced, and that Mr Wilson told drivers to work out the new rates from the old approved fares rather than adding 8% to inflated ones. It also reported that leaders of 24 transport unions accepted the change and promised compliance. These points come from one report.
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  According to The Ghana Report, the KMA plans to name and shame drivers who ignore the rates, and unions asked for stickers to identify drivers who belong to no union. Neither plan has been confirmed elsewhere.

Why it matters for Ghana

Trotro and taxi fares take a large share of daily spending for workers and traders in Kumasi, so passengers who are charged above the approved rate lose money every trip. Enforcement at Adum, Kejetia and other terminals, especially at closing time, is where riders are most likely to notice any change. Drivers who follow the 8% rise, and the vehicle owners behind them, also face the threat of losing their vehicles for a period if they are found in breach.