Some commercial motorbike riders have complained that fares on ride- hailing apps are too low despite the convenience of the apps.
This concern comes months after Parliament passed the Road Traffic Amendment Bill in December 2025, legalising their operations and ride-hailing apps introducing commercial motorbikes (okada) options along cars.
The passing of the bill means that beyond booking motorbikes for package delivery on these apps, passengers can now request rides, often at a lower rate than the existing car options.
In interviews with The Mirror in Accra last week, some of the riders said compared to the informal ways where they could quote their own prices, the structured manner of apps didn’t allow that, resulting in very low fares.
“A trip from Tema Community 25 to Madina in Accra can take over an hour. Now, imagine such a distance that is traffic prone, then fare will be like GH¢65.
Meanwhile, I would normally charge around GH¢150 for the same journey,” Fuseini Abdul said.
He added that because the okada option was relatively new, patronage was also low, which meant there was no assurance of getting a return trip even with the low rate.
Another rider this reporter spoke to, Nana Yaw, said the convenience was good but wished the fare rates would be increased.
He argued that the apps often presented the okada option as “economy”, meaning it was basically at the bottom of the ‘food chain’, resulting in the very low rates.
For Nana Yaw, adapting to this fare change would take some time but he liked the fact that he could get customers at any time.
“I don’t stand by the roadside for long again. Now, I get requests on my phone. Even when it’s not busy on the street, I can still get customers. I even add courier to it,” he explained.
Samuel Kumi said the platform had helped reduce disputes between riders and passengers typical of the informal sector. Riders say one of the significant changes is how fares are determined. Previously, prices often depended on bargaining power, distance and urgency.
They noted that they had to purchase or replace their ‘yam’ phones to smart phones to be able to use the apps and location services.
Deductions and commissions
In addition to the low prices, the riders said there were deductions and commissions that further reduced their overall earnings.
“When I was working on my own, all the money was mine. Now, the app takes between 15 to 25 per cent, depending on the app. Sometimes, you work the whole day and the money is not as much as before,” said Yaw Owusu.
The riders acknowledged that was how the system run even for the car drivers but that at least, with them, traffic and other contingencies helped to increase the rate at the end of the trip.
Other riders mentioned increased competition saying more riders join digital platforms, getting frequent ride requests could depend on location, ratings and time of day.
Despite these concerns, the riders were of the view that the apps and the legalisation had helped improve their image in the eyes of the public. This they noted, could be attributed to added features such as rider identification and trip tracking.
“People now trust us more. When they see you are using the app; they feel safer than just stopping any rider on the road,” a recent Uber rider, Ibrahim Mohammed, said.
He entreated his fellow riders to provide and ensure helmet use
and practice responsible riding, while following all the rules on the apps.
Passenger views
Patrons’ views on the app-based okada, were divided. While some said they were open to using them for convenience and avoiding heavy traffic, others remained hesitant due to safety concerns.
A number of commuters said the ability to identify riders and track trips made the service more trustworthy compared to roadside operators.
“I used to take okada before, but this is better because it is cheaper on the app. It never made sense to me that they charged so much, even higher than taxis when you picked them by the roadside, especially since their fuel, spare parts and repairs are not that expensive. So yes, this is better now,” a frequent rider, Gameli Coffie noted.
He added that it was also good that those on the apps were more decently dressed and used helmets.
Others said they were yet to fully embrace the option because motorbikes were still relatively dangerous than cars and also less comfortable.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh