Transport fares for tricycles, popularly known as “Pragyia”, are set to increase by 20 percent across the Ashanti Region effective June 22, following an announcement by the National Union of Tricycle Operators of Ghana (NUTOG).
The union attributed the upward adjustment to rising operational costs and increasing financial pressure on drivers, including higher spare parts prices, daily sales obligations, and the escalating cost of lubricants.
According to NUTOG, the decision was approved during an online meeting of its Ashanti Regional Executive Council held on June 6.
In a statement signed by the union’s Ashanti Regional Public Relations Officer, Mark Osei Mensah, zonal and station executives have been instructed to communicate the new fares to members and engage passengers and other stakeholders ahead of implementation.
The union urged its members to maintain professionalism during the transition period and ensure cordial relations with passengers as the new fares take effect.
“Members are advised to act professionally and maintain cordial relations with passengers during the transition period,” the statement said.
The fare adjustment is expected to affect thousands of commuters who rely heavily on tricycles for short-distance transport within Kumasi and surrounding communities in the Ashanti Region.
NUTOG appealed to the public to understand the necessity of the increase, describing it as a response to prevailing economic conditions affecting transport operators.
The union noted that while efforts had been made to keep fares affordable and competitive compared to other transport services, current cost pressures had made the increment unavoidable.
NUTOG operates under the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), one of the country’s largest transport unions affiliated with the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
The announcement adds to a series of recent transport fare adjustments across Ghana, as operators continue to cite inflationary pressures and rising input costs within the transport sector.
