Fuel prices down again: Government should engage transport unions on reduction in fares

As part of government's quest to make the lives of the Citizenry very comfortable as per its vision and mandate, the Energy Ministry under the able leadership of its sector minister Hon. Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh has delivered appreciably much to be applauded. Fuel prices are down again for the third time in November and hopefully to reduce further in December.

Records available indicate a speedy decreasing rate in prices of both Petrol and Diesel.

The increases in fuel prices in recent times leading to the corresponding increases in transport fares further led to the increases in prices of food commodities and other items in the country. Conditions of living had then been gravely affected by the supporting factor of fuel price hikes.

Aside from the aftermath effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the US Dollar beating the Ghanaian Cedi to a pulp, the hikes in fuel prices over time were or are the next big thing to blame our economic woes on. Factually, the Ghanaian economy in relation to living conditions and trade activities largely strives on these; Dollar to Cedi equivalence and Fuel prices.

In the past few months, life in Ghana has been unbearable, no two ways. The Ghanaian economy has been on life support, a reason for Government's swift run to the IMF for an economic bailout. Ghanaians, including us all, have been persistent in our calls on Government to sit up and deliver to the expectations of the Citizenry.

On the calls, Government had been urged to find any means possible to reduce fuel prices, most especially. It was and is a firm belief that when prices of fuel fall, same shall directly correspond with the reduction in prices of other commodities including food prices.

Fast forward, Government's efforts to reduce fuel prices have seen the light of day. Today, both Petrol and Diesel have seen price reductions. Whilst applauding Government, it is equally important to call the attention of the Ministry of Transport to the fact that GPRTU and other Transport Unions are yet to announce any reduction in transport fares after increasing same to correspond to the past increases in fuel prices.

It is expected that these transport unions would as a matter of importance reduce their fares to match the three times reduction in prices. With this done, the prices of other commodities which depend largely on transport fares would also fall, further leading to ease in living conditions of the Citizenry.