Fuel prices increased by at least three per cent
The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) have said that the recent fuel hikes do not warrant any increment in transport fares, so commercial drivers across the country should charge old fares without any increments.
This was contained in a press release on Friday, September 22, signed by National Chairman of the GPRTU, Kwame Kuma, and the National Chairman of GRTCC, Ben Peprah Amoabeng.
The two groups indicated that after several engagements with stakeholders and monitoring of “the increases and decreases in the prices of fuel from April, 2017 when we had the recent transport fare increase to date, we have noted that the Net Position does not create significant increase to warrant increase in transport fares”.
They said in view of that “all transport operators are not to increase transport fares, and we seek the cooperation of members in this regard”.
Fuel prices increased by at least three per cent and as high as seven per cent at some fuel pumps across the country.
This resulted in the Ghana Drivers and Car Owners Association issuing a two-week ultimatum for authorities to reduce fuel prices or they will increase transport fares by 15 per cent following the review of fuel prices within the second pricing window on September 22.
“Government cannot intimidate drivers and force them not to increase transport fares so we are giving the Transport Minister two weeks. If the Minister does not do anything about the fuel prices, we are going to increase our transport fares to 15 per cent if they like it or not, and there will be chaos in this country,” Francis Appiah, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Association, told Moro Awudu on the Executive Breakfast Show on Class91.3FM.
“We have seen that in this country, if you keep quiet they will continue to increase fuel prices without recourse to the effect it has on us,” he added.
The drivers said government has increased fuel prices five times since the beginning of the year; a situation that has sparked anger amongst commercial drivers as they say it could compound their already bad situation.
The hike has also compelled the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers Ghana to vow to push for the prices to be reviewed downwards as it fears the latest hikes could have a cascading effect on prices of goods and services. However, the parent unions of the commercial drivers insist that the recent hikes should not result in any transport fare increments.
