Public accepts new lorry fares with mixed feelings

A section of the public has expressed mixed reactions toward the increment in lorry fares which commercial drivers started charging on Monday.

While some welcome it as they said they have been anticipating it over the last two weeks, others said the increment would add to their woes.

In an Interview with Ghana News Agency (GNA) Mr Kojo Acquah, a Civil Servant said he used to pay GH?1.10 from Kaneshie to Tema Station in Accra as the old lorry fare but it had been increased to GH?1.30.

“My sister this means my budget for my daily transportation to work has been increased and it will really affect my finances,” Mr Acquah said.

Madam Agnes Coffie, a trader at the Kaneshie market said she used to pay GH?1.40 from A-Lang near Aworshie to Kaneshie “but now they are taking GH?1.60, I have no choice but also to increase by products so I can survive the trend”.

Ms Linda Edusei, another passenger told the GNA that “this is not easy at all, the increment in fares means higher cost of living, everything will be increased, and I have to spend more on my own transportation and that of my three kids who board ‘trotro’ every day to and fro school”.

Mr Lucas Amponsah, a shoe seller at Kaneshie said “madam we know the transport fares will be increased by all means so whether I like it or not, I have to accept it.

“What I want the authorities to do is that, they should ensure that the drivers charge the right fares”.

During a visit to some of the lorry stations in Accra, GNA observed that some drivers’ mate had resorted to collecting lorry fares at the entrance of their lorries instead of allowing the passengers to sit comfortably before collecting the money as has been the usual practice.

The mates said they wanted to avoid the situation where passengers would “quarrel or fight us and refuse to pay the new fares after they have sat in the vehicle”.

However some of the passengers contended that they already know that fares had been increased so there was no way they would fight the mates, adding “they just have to ensure that they are charging the approved fares”, Ms Korhsie Lamptey said.

Some of the passengers also expressed worry over fares being charged for short distances, which they described as too high and appealed to drivers and their mates to be more realistic with such fares.

Some of the drivers told the GNA that the new fare does not reflect the real cost in fuel and other transportation expenses being incurred “but we also live in the society and we have families who also board commercial transport that is why we are taking it like that”, Mr Kofi Aboagye, a driver said.

Meanwhile Oil Marketing Companies (OMC) on Monday pegged the retail prices of petroleum products at Filling Stations at GH?3.47 per litre for petrol and GH?3.37 per litre for diesel.

A survey conducted by Ghana News Agency revealed that Total Petroleum, Agapet Oil Company Limited; Allied Oil Company Limited; and Crown Petroleum Ghana Limited all quoted GH?3.47 per litre for petrol and GH?3.37 for diesel.

Others who are quoting the same prices are: Sky Petroleum Company Limited; Star Oil Company Limited; Glory Oil Company Limited; Glee Oil Company Limited; Universal Oil Company Limited; Union Oil Company Limited; Grace Petroleum Oil Marketing Company.

Ghana Oil Company Limited (GOIL) however is quoting the lowest prices of GH?3.33 per litre for petrol and GH?3.24 per litre or diesel in spite of the four per cent increment as announced by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).

Deregulation of petroleum products took effect on June 16, according to the NPA.

In a statement issued by Chief Executive Officer of the Authority Mr Moses Asaga, the development constitutes the first processes towards the implementation of the petroleum product price deregulation.