Fuel prices are down; don’t increase transport fares – COPEC to drivers

The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers Ghana (COPEC), has urged transport owners and drivers not to increase transport fares at this time as the COVID-19 outbreak is having an impact on every sector of the economy.

Duncan Amoah, Executive Director of COPEC noted that in the past few months, fuel prices dropped on the local market but transport fares were not reduced.

He has therefore, asked the drivers to use the savings they made to offset whatever cost they are incurring at the moment.

Members of the National Concern Drivers Association of Ghana, has asked the government to reduce fuel prices following the fall of prices of crude oil on the international market.

The drivers said they will be forced to increase transport fares if the fuel prices are not reduced immediately.

A statement signed by National Chairman of the Drivers Association, Paa Willie, said : “ We the National Concern Drivers Association would like to commend the President Nana Akufo-Addo and his government for their tremendous effort in fighting the Corona virus. As an Association We pledge our support to the President directives of reducing the number of passengers in our Trotro and taxi.

“This will aimed at ensuring the precautionary directives to ensure social distancing our public transports. We the National Concern Drivers Association of Ghana are calling on the government to as a matter of urgency reduce pump prices of fuel.

“We have notice the declining prices of crude oil on the international market which should have led to a significant drop in the pump prices of fuel by now. We calling on the President to ensure an immediate and drastic reduction fuel prices at the pump.

“We have notice that, the government do not drivers at heart and unconcern when it comes to matters of improving the lives of drivers. We giving government up the end of this week, thus from now to 27th of April to reduce fuel prices or we will increase our fares.

Reacting to this, Mr Duncan Amoah said : “ We would expect that whatever reductions on (prices of crude oil) the transport operators would use that to offset the social distancing cost and not increase transport fares . That we are quite certain we will be having a negotiation with them shortly.”

“I have heard some of them saying they wouldn’t increase at all and we want to say kudos to them.

“But those who are increasing, please do not inconvenient the public at this time because everybody is hard-pressed, you are getting some savings on the fuel which has dropped from the 5.6 region to 5.2 currently. Some are even selling for 3.9 and so it means you are making some significant savings on your fuel but we would expect that you don’t inconvenient Ghanaians at this point by increasing transport fares,” he told TV3 Wednesday.