No need to increase transport fares – GPRTU

The Ghana Road and Transport Union (GPRTU)) has allayed fears of the commuting public of any transport fare increases following the recent fuel price hikes.

Vice Chairman of the union, Robert Sabbah, explained that the current average increase of three per cent does not warrant any increase per their regulations.

This is the fifth increase in fuel price 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. This has compelled to 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.

Speaking to Class News, Robert Sabbah maintained that the average three per cent increase will not trigger any increase in transport fares as it falls short of their 10 per cent threshold.

“Before we even increase the transport fares there is a convention, a threshold or a limit to which payment is reached before we increase the lorry fare. Currently, the increment is hovering around three per cent and the threshold is 10 per cent. When it reaches 10 per cent, we shall be compelled under that circumstance to come to new fares taken into consideration others like DVLA registration, insurance, spare parts, drivers’ salaries and then the fuel itself. We take all of these things into consideration before we are able to come back with lorry fares. We don’t use only an increment in fuel to justify any increment. We are watching, it is now around three per cent and therefore it does not call for any increment as at now,” he stated.