People who use ride-hailing apps like Uber, Bolt, and Yango shouldn’t expect their fares to drop, even though the cedi (Ghana's currency) is getting stronger and fuel prices are going down.
The Ghana Online Drivers Union, which represents drivers using these apps, said they weren’t included in a recent decision made by the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) to lower fares by 15% for public transport.
Francis Tengey, the president of the Ghana Online Drivers Union, explained that the fare cut doesn’t apply to ride-hailing services because they weren’t part of the discussions. He said, “The GPRTU’s decision doesn’t include us because we weren’t consulted. We’re not part of their group. We drive for Uber, Bolt, and Yango. We have our own union, but they don’t recognize us.”
He also mentioned that they’ve been trying to get recognized by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) since 2021, but they haven’t received any approval yet. So, when GPRTU makes decisions, it doesn’t affect them. “Uber, Bolt, and Yango don’t even know who GPRTU is,” he added.
Tengey pointed out that the drivers who use ride-hailing apps weren’t part of the meeting where GPRTU talked with the Ministry of Transport. Because of this, the 15% fare reduction won’t apply to digital transport services. “So, our customers can’t enjoy the 15% reduction on prices,” he said.
Tengey believes that if their union gets officially recognized, they could talk directly with ride-hailing companies to make sure passengers benefit from better economic conditions. He also asked the government to step in and help regulate the ride-hailing industry.
“We’re asking the government, especially the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Youth and Employment, to work together to recognize our union. Once they do, we can start making changes,” he explained.
On another note, a group called CUTS International is urging the government to take strong action so that Ghanaians can benefit from the recent drops in fuel prices.
They want local authorities to have the power to deregister and punish commercial drivers who don’t follow the 15% fare cut announced by GPRTU. They believe that transport operators shouldn’t be allowed to take advantage of commuters, especially when the economy is improving.