VIP announces hikes in prices of inter-regional transport

Some travellers who arrived at the VIP terminal at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange Monday morning were compelled to overspend their budget by 20 per cent following an upward adjustment of the company’s transport fares.

The VIP JEOUN Transport Limited on Monday morning (0700hours) implemented its new transport charges for long distance journeys in response to the recent hikes in fuel prices among other variables that affect its operations.

Under the new pricing regime, passengers travelling from Accra to Kumasi will be required to pay GHS 80.00 for Standard Coaches and GHS 100.00 for Executive Coaches.

The ticket for Accra to Tamale is now selling at GHS200.00 (standard) and GHS240.00 (Executive) while that of Accra to Takoradi costs 80.00.

All other long journeys from all of its terminals in the regional capitals have all gone up by 20 per cent.

In separate interactions with the Ghana News Agency, some passengers described the increment as “worrying”.

They said although they were unhappy about the new charges, they were aware that fuel prices had gone up, and had no option than to pay more.

“I heard in the news that fares would go up today so I prepared, but I didn’t know that it would increase this much,” Esther Kobla, a passenger, said.

Another passenger, Ernest Newman, said he had cancelled his trip in the morning because, “I am running on a tight budget”.

“I was supposed to go to Kumasi today to perform an important duty. But I have asked someone to step in for me because the transport fare is too much,” he said.

In an interview, Mr Ernest Frimpong Manso, General Manager, VIP JEOUN, said the increment in fuel prices had significantly affected its cost of operations, hence the increment.

“Before the recent increase in petroleum prices, in the past, a bus from Accra to Kumasi was given 200 litres of diesel to ply the route, which cost around GHS2, 700. Now, the same 200 litres is GHS3, 190.

“Given the old figures we were charging, it became abundantly clear that we were unable to sustain our business if we did not take immediate action,” he said.

Mr Manso said the company would review the new prices after 90 days based on the cost of the variables that affected its operations.

Checks conducted by the GNA indicate that as of 1200hours, the State Transport Company (STC) was yet to adjust its fares.

Officials at the STC Transport Terminal at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange told the GNA that its management was yet to officially communicate an increment in fares.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union will meet the Minister of Transport, Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah on Monday (1600 hours) to finalise discussions on a proposed 30 per cent increment in transport fares.

The Union said it would announce the new fares after the meeting.

Some oil marketing companies on Monday, October 17, 2022 adjusted their prices upwards, selling petrol and diesel for GHS 13.10 and GHS15.99 per litre respectively.

The adjustments represent more than 10 per cent increment from the last pricing window, which closed on Saturday, October 15, 2022, with diesel and petrol then selling at an average GHS11.05 and GHS 13.98 respectively.

Market analysts blamed the increment on the depreciation of the Cedi against the US Dollar and the rise in prices of petroleum products on the international market.