A tense stalemate has gripped the Santasi transport terminal in Kumasi, as hundreds of commercial drivers operating the Santasi–Tech and Santasi–Ejisu routes have downed tools and parked their vehicles in protest. The industrial action, which began early Wednesday, follows the arrest and prosecution of several colleagues accused of illegally charging passengers an additional GH¢1 on standard fares.
The drivers insist the surcharge is a survival necessity, arguing that the government’s much-publicised 30% fare adjustment—proposed in response to rising fuel costs—has yet to be formally implemented across the sector. This has left operators in a fiscal limbo, they claim, as they grapple with operational costs that have far outpaced the official approved rates.
Unfulfilled Promises and Soaring Costs
The impasse stems from a long-standing grievance. While transport unions and the government agreed on a 30% increment earlier this year to cushion the effect of record-high pump prices—with diesel and petrol hovering consistently above GH¢18 per litre—the implementation has been stalled by public opposition and bureaucratic bottlenecks. The drivers argue that the approved fares from 2023 are now grossly insufficient, leaving them with razor-thin margins.
According to the aggrieved drivers, the GH¢1 addition is their own interim measure to cover the daily fuel consumption for their vehicles, which have now become “money-eating machines.”
Arrests and Heavy Fines Fuel Anger
The drivers’ grievances were further inflamed when plainclothes officers from the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) intervened in recent days, arresting colleagues who had levied the extra charge. The drivers claim that the arrested members were taken to the police station and slapped with fines as high as GH¢10,000—a punitive sum they argue is designed to intimidate them into silence.
“We are not criminals; we are breadwinners. Until the authorities meet us for a peaceful dialogue on the fare issue and stop arresting us and extorting GH¢10,000 from us, we will not work,” one driver lamented, speaking to journalists at the station.
Another driver painted a stark picture of the economic hardship, stating, “Yesterday, my conductor and I made only GH¢80 after deducting fuel and sales. How are we supposed to share that amount and still maintain our vehicles? This is cheating, plain and simple.” He noted that with the current fuel prices, a full tank costs more than GH¢1,000, forcing drivers to make multiple daily trips just to break even.
Passengers Left Stranded
The boycott has brought commercial activities at the Santasi station to a near-standstill, leaving scores of passengers—predominantly traders and office workers—stranded. The station, which usually buzzes with activity at this time of day, was unusually quiet as long queues of taxis and trotros sat motionless. Many commuters, having already paid for their daily journeys to work, were forced to seek alternative means or return home.
Union Leadership Divided
While the GPRTU (Ghana Private Road Transport Union) has publicly called for calm, the drivers at Santasi appear to be acting independently, frustrated by the lack of concrete relief from their national leadership. Though unions have engaged the Ministry of Transport on the 30% increment, drivers say the dialogue has produced no tangible results, forcing them to take matters into their own hands.
Authorities Yet to Respond
As of press time, officials from the MTTD and the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council had not issued an official statement regarding the arrests or the protest. However, sources within the transport ministry suggest that the government is wary of approving the full 30% hike, fearing a public backlash similar to the “Fix the Country” protests that saw citizens decry the rising cost of living.
A Wider Crisis
This protest is the latest manifestation of the deep-rooted economic strain facing Ghana’s transport sector. With fuel prices at historic highs, spare parts imported at unfavourable exchange rates, and vehicle maintenance costs skyrocketing, many drivers are caught between the law and the need to survive. The Santasi drivers have vowed to continue their sit-down strike until the authorities engage them meaningfully. They insist that the GH¢1 increase is non-negotiable for now, but they are open to dialogue on a structured, government-backed adjustment.
As the sun sets over the Kumasi metropolis, the vehicles remain parked, serving as a stark symbol of the widening rift between regulatory enforcement and the economic realities of the Ghanaian road transport sector.
