By Nyima Sillah
Scores of commuters in the Greater Banjul Area have pleaded to the Gambia Transport Union (GTU) not to double up transportation fees in case they introduce a new tariff due to the increment in fuel price.
They called for effective dialogue between the Gambia Transport Union and drivers to ensure that there is no further increment in transport fares.
Speaking to The Voice, Aji Yama Sonko, a vendor at the Serrekunda Market said the situation is worrisome considering the fact that the Gambia Transport Union has made it clear that the price of fares should have increased twice because the Government increased the price of fuel.
She told this medium that she travels from Tanji to Serrekunda on daily bases to sell, but she always finds it difficult to get a car. “As I am speaking to you, drivers have their own tariff ways before the increment of fuel prices. So, imagine what will happen now that the Government already increased the price of fuel and the GTU is supporting drivers to add transport fees,” she said.
Alpha Bah also complained that “what worries me is that when they are adding prices, they don’t add like D1 or D2 instead they add like D3 or beyond. Who knows what will be the new tariff in case they should add fares again? Due to this increment of fares, the coin is missing in the country, because drivers don’t give out coins anymore.”
“We know the situation might be hard to control because the increment of fuel is from the top, but we are pleading to the GTU to dialogue with the drivers not to add over prices on the transport fees. We should all assist each other as we all know that drivers cannot go without commuters and commuters cannot go without drivers. We all need each other one way or the other,” Bah pleaded.
Another Commuter, Yama Njie, complained that “drivers don’t expect to fill up cars without having customers, because people that live nearby will rather trek than pay an amount that is not favorable to them. Imagine we all have kids that go to school. If you should give each child lunch money and transport fees, how much would that cost you as a parent every week? Let’s favor each other, the situation is beyond control now it’s left to humanity to sympathize with each other.”
