Transport fares to go up

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) is set to adjust transportation fares upwards from next week.

The union said the increment is due to the lack of cooperation on the part of the government.

The Industrial Relations Officer, Abbas Imoro said they have been forced to make a decision because government has not cooperated with us.

In April, the Union asked government to scrap some taxes on petroleum products to cushion drivers and commuters, but President Akufo-Addo rejected the proposal.

The President said it will cost the nation ¢4 billion in revenue if that happens.

Reacting in an interview on an Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, the Industrial Relations Officer for GPRTU, Abass Imoro, said efforts to reach the Ministry have proven futile.

“We have been forced to make a decision. We were thinking of being sympathetic. We never wanted to take this decision, but government has not cooperated with us.

“Fuel prices keep shooting up, we wrote to the Transport Minister about our plans to increase transport fares, but we received no feedback. We are thus going to take a decision that will help us as well. We will announce the new prices by next week,” he said.

He, however, noted the union is currently conducting market surveys on the prices of spare parts among others as that will also influence the percentage increment will be pegged at.

Transport fares increased by 15 per cent in February 2022, when fuel prices averaged GH¢6.4 per litre.

A litre of fuel now sells around ¢10 after crossing the ¢8 per litre mark in the first week of March 2022.

The Union argues that the move has become necessary due to the increase in the prices of petroleum products.

Both commercial and private drivers and other stakeholders mounted pressure on government to scrap some taxes on fuel to cushion consumers.