Member of Parliament for Zebilla, Ebenezer Alumire Ndebilla, has blamed persistent distortions in Ghana’s transport fares on a combination of greed and systemic failure, arguing that the problem goes beyond individual drivers to reflect deeper structural weaknesses in the sector.

Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Thursday, January 15, he noted that although the government has created an enabling environment for private sector participation, the absence of a strong regulatory and public transport framework has allowed unfair practices to thrive.

“Even in the market, with most imported goods, although the dollar has depreciated, prices remain high because people are not reducing their prices. This shows that there is some kind of greed in our system,” he said.

According to him, the situation points to entrenched greed within the system, urging the government to fix structural gaps rather than placing blame solely on individuals.

He argued that without a well-organised and efficient public transport system, market forces alone will continue to disadvantage commuters.

The Zebilla MP maintained that a robust public transport system would naturally regulate excesses in the sector, as operators would be compelled to comply with rules to remain competitive and stay in business, calling on the government to prioritise reforms that enforce discipline and fairness, rather than relying on appeals to individual conscience.

“It is both greed and system failure, in the sense that government creates an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive. Unfortunately, in the case of the transport system, when fuel prices decrease, and unions ask drivers to reduce fares, some private drivers instead increase their fares.

“It is about time the government looks at it and does not blame individuals. Rather, we should look at what to do to make sure that they work according to the rules,” he said.

His comments come amid growing concerns over alleged artificial scarcity in the urban transport sector. The Minister of Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, has since summoned officials of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and other commercial transport operators over reports that some drivers deliberately reduce vehicle availability, particularly during peak hours, to increase profits.

In response to public complaints, the GPRTU has announced plans to deploy a task force to monitor operations on the streets and sanction drivers found engaging in unlawful practices, as pressure mounts on authorities to restore sanity to the transport system.