New Transport Fares: Trotro Mate Confront Elderly Passengers Over 15 Per Cent Reduction, Video
- The posture of a Ghanaian bus conductor in the wake of a 15 per cent reduction in transport fares has generated reactions
- This comes after he opted to charge old fares, insisting that he had not been given the newly approved rates by his lorry station
- Social media users who took to the comments section of the video of the trotro driver shared varied views on the new fares
A video showing a confrontation between passengers and a bus conductor, known in Ghanaian parlance as a trotro mate, over the 15 per cent reduction in fares has gone viral.
The video, which was sighted by YEN.com.gh on the TikTok page of @sherifgodalone on Monday, May 26, showed the conductor exchanging words with some elderly passengers aboard his vehicle en route from Mamobi to Circle in Accra.
Source: UGC
According to the trotro mate, he had not been given the new list of approved fares and therefore insisted that passengers stick to the old rates.
The excuse did not sit well with two elderly women in the minibus, who pointed out that a 15 per cent reduction had been approved and announced.
The mate remained adamant and quickly rebutted the elderly women's concerns, saying no increment had been announced at his lorry station.
Source: Getty Images
GPRTU to sanction drivers over 15% fare
The brouhaha comes after the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) directed its members to reduce transport fares by 15% from Saturday, May 24, 2025.
The union also vowed to deal with drivers who fail to charge the newly approved fares and released a breakdown of the new fares commuters would now pay.
Fuel prices could drop to GH¢12
The Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMCs) has hinted that fuel prices could drop to as low as GH¢12 per litre at the pump.
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Driver returns passengers to Circle station for refusing to pay old fare: “Ɛyɛ zu, Ɛyɛ cry”
Speaking in an interview on Joy News, Dr Riverson Oppong stated that this reduction would be based on the stability of the cedi.
He explained that, due to the cedi’s performance, converting fuel prices from dollars costs less.
Mahama thanks GPRTU
President John Mahama has also shown appreciation to the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) for its decision to reduce lorry fares by 15 per cent.
The President, while speaking at the 2025 Ghana CEOs Summit in Accra on May 26, also thanked traders who have responded to the cedi’s appreciation by reducing prices of their products and services.
Source: Facebook
Hailing ride apps not affected by GPRTU directive
The Ghana Online Drivers Union has announced that the 15 per cent reduction in fares does not apply to them.
The President of the Ghana Online Drivers Union, Francis Tengey, in an interview on Citi Business News, disclosed that the decision by the GPRTU was not binding on them because they were excluded from the decision-making process.
At the time of writing, the video had raked in over 600 likes and 60 comments.
The video of the trotro driver arguing with commuters over the rates is below:
Reactions to the trotro driver arguing over fares
Social media users who took to the comments section of the video shared varied opinions on the newly approved fares by the GPRTU.
Jeff Uday:
“The passengers have to stand up for their rights.”
EDEM PRAIZE stated:
“There’s no demon doing us Ghanaian oo; it’s us who are the demons, because the government has declared a decrease but still Bibini wants his brother and sister to suffer so he gains… Ghana, hmm.”
Ussifbamba:
“This is me last time, I convinced those at the back seat not to pay the amount.”
user87933818725781:
“Thank God I don’t sit in a trotro.”
Kobby Lowkey:
“Is it the same thing you market women and water sellers do? To reduce your prices, you sell for us?”
agyakomabakwasiwu8:
“You enjoyed the reduction at the pump filling station but you don’t want to reduce the fare.”
Driver returns passengers over fare disagreement
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that a driver went viral after he returned passengers to the lorry station due to a disagreement over the new fares.
A young lady who shared her experience in a social media video said it all happened after passengers had insisted on paying the new reduced fare.
Some trotro drivers defied the order and insisted on charging the old rate, even though fuel prices were down and the cedi was rising against the dollar.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
