The Tema West Taxi Branch Union of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has appealed to government to involve drivers when formulating policies that affected their activities.
They insisted that drivers played a very crucial role in national development and formulating policies that sometimes negatively impact on their welfare does not only affect them but productivity of the nation.
Mr Joseph Atta Azaglo, Vice-Chairman of the Taxi Union GPRTU Tema West Branch told the Ghana News Agency in an interview as part of investigations into the working conditions of drivers within Metropolis.
“Even though we work so hard, we are still poor, because the money we make goes into maintenance and fuel,” Mr. Azaglo stated.
In explaining the impact of high fuel prices on commercial drivers, Mr. Azaglo said, “In recent past, when you buy a gallon of fuel, you are able to work and recoup the price of the fuel, but now we struggle to break even.
The Vice-Chairman lamented how their business had been gravely affected also by the introduction of new means of transportation like Uber, Sango, and Okada.
He asked government to reduce the cost of high duty paid at the harbour in clearing a vehicle saying.