I Can’t Stop Drivers from Charging High Fares – KMA Boss

The Chief Executive Officer of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Richard Ofori Agyeman-Boadi, popularly known as King Zuba, has sparked public debate after stating he cannot stop commercial drivers in Kumasi from charging exorbitant lorry fares.

Speaking on Nhyira FM’s morning show, King Zuba acknowledged the growing public outcry over arbitrary fare hikes but said the city authority lacks the power to intervene in what he described as a “private business.”

“Drivers are businessmen,” he stated. “If someone owns a car and says he is plying from Adum to Tech, how can I know whether he is genuinely going there or not?”

The KMA boss made the remarks in response to persistent complaints from Kumasi residents about what they describe as extortionate charges by commercial drivers, especially in the evenings. Fares from central Kumasi (Adum) to Tech Junction, for instance, are reportedly as high as GHC10.00—an amount far above normal rates.

According to residents, many of the drivers behind the fare increases are not affiliated with any recognized transport unions, allowing them to operate without oversight. Some drivers also engage in “short route operations,” breaking up long-distance journeys into multiple segments to charge higher cumulative fares.

King Zuba admitted that the situation is difficult to manage, especially when drivers constantly adjust their destinations based on passenger demand. “If the driver sees many passengers heading to Fumesua instead of Anloga Junction, he will go where he can maximize profit. You cannot restrict him.”

He added that the ideal solution would be the revival of Kumasi’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, popularly known as Ayalolo, which could offer structured and affordable transportation. However, he disclosed that 16 Ayalolo buses are currently out of service.

“I visited the depot where the Ayalolo buses are parked and saw that sixteen of them are grounded. Most of them have faulty absorbers. We are working to fix them,” he said.

This situation has contributed to growing transport chaos in Kumasi and parts of the Ashanti Region, with passengers left at the mercy of unregulated drivers and inconsistent fares. Critics have called on the KMA and national authorities to take decisive action to restore order and affordability to the city’s transport system

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