The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike over the introduction of the GH¢1 fuel levy.
In an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, Public Relations Officer Abbas Ibrahim Moro stated that commercial transport operators would not have implemented the 15% fare reduction had they anticipated the current developments.
“If they knew they had this under their sleeves, they should have told us, because for us to reduce transport fares and they bring this in, they haven’t been fair to us. The GH¢1 is very significant and the timing is wrong,” he stated.
Expressing strong opposition, Mr. Moro warned that the GPRTU would give the government until June 10 to withdraw the levy and initiate stakeholder engagement.
He lamented that the levy would bring untold hardship to commercial drivers and transport business owners nationwide.
According to him, the decision to implement the levy was taken without adequate consultation and risks pushing many operators out of business due to rising operational costs.
“We are therefore calling on the government to reverse the levy immediately and engage us and stakeholders on the way forward. If our call is not heeded, we will be compelled to take industrial action and park our vehicles on June 10, 2025.
“We urge the government to consider the impact of the levy on the transport sector and the consequences of our action on the economy, and engage us in meaningful deliberations to help address challenges in the energy sector,” he said.
The new levy, which has sparked mixed reactions, follows the approval of the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, by Parliament.
The bill imposes a GH¢1 increase in the levy on petroleum products and is expected to generate an estimated GH¢5.7 billion in revenue.
The Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has said that the revenue generated will be used to reduce the country’s ballooning energy sector debt, which currently stands at $3.1 billion.
He added that an additional $1.2 billion will also be needed to procure fuel for thermal power generation in 2025.
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