Fuel price hike: Don’t increase transport fares yet – GPRTU, GRTCC to members

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) have asked their members not to increase transportation fares until further notice despite the recent hike in the prices of fuel.

In a joint statement, the two unions said negotiations have already begun to determine an “appropriate fare adjustment acceptable to all transport operators and the public.”

“We, therefore, entreat all transport operators and the general public to continue to apply the existing fares and disregard any purported announcement of an increase in fares until a new fare is announced.”

The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) reduced the GHp17 per litre increase in fuel margins to GHp9 pesewas per litre on Tuesday, 4 May 2021.

The margin reduction takes effect from Wednesday, 5 May 2021.

A statement issued on 4 May 2021 indicated: “At a meeting held at the Ministry of Energy earlier today between the Hon. Minister of Energy and the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), the Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMCs), Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Co Ltd (BOST), the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), the Institute for Energy Policies and Research (INSTEPR), it has been agreed as follows; the 17 pesewas per litre increase in fuel margins previously announced by the NPA has been reduced to 9 pesewas per litre effective tomorrow, Wednesday, 5th May 2021”.

The initial increase in fuel margins was supposed to take effect on 1 May 2021.

However, several groups and individuals opposed the directive.

The Institute of Energy Studies (IES), for instance, described the increase in fuel margins as “insensitive and without justification”.

Meanwhile, two driver unions – Concerned Drivers Union and True Drivers Union – said they were rolling out a 40 percent increase in transport fares by Monday, 10 May 2021, as a consequence.

The PRO of Concerned Drivers Union, Mr David Agboado, justified the increment in an interview with Valentina Ofori-Afriyie on Class91.3FM’s mid-day news ‘12Live’ on Tuesday, 4 May 2021, saying from January this year, a gallon of petrol sold at GH¢19.45 but has risen to GH¢27.58.

Also, he said the price of lubricants has risen by 25 percent.

Additionally, Mr Agboada noted that some charges of the Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has gone up by 15 percent while charges at the port, are up by 40 percent.

Cumulatively, Mr Agboada said the cost of running a transportation business is more than 70 percent but because they are considerate about the plight of Ghanaians, they will increase fares by 40 percent.

Meanwhile, the Senior Industrial Relations Officer of the GPRTU, Mr Abass Nurudeen, told the news programme that: “God willing, tomorrow, our leadership will come out with a reasonable percentage”.

According to him, it will take immediate effect.