Tema drivers reduce lorry fares

Tema, Dec 15, GNA -- Three days after the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) announced a reduction in fuel prices, drivers in the Tema Metropolis on Monday reduced lorry fares by five Ghana pesewas. With the exception of the Metro Mass Transport (MMT), taxi and 'trotro' fares have been adjusted downwards in accordance with directives from the various transport unions.

The NPA last Friday announced that premium petrol have been reduced from 99 Gp per litre to 82 Gp per litre while the price of gas oil dropped from 104 Gp to 89Gp per litre and a litre of kerosene now sell at 70 Gp.

The price reduction also affected premix fuel, diesel and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

Fuel stations in the metropolis have also adjusted their machines which now read 0.820 per litre for petrol instead of the former 0.990 per liter.

Officials at the MMT yard in Tema who spoke under anonymity told the Ghana News Agency that they were still charging their old fares since they were yet to receive directives from management concerning any reduction.

They explained that the MMT fares were not increased when transport fares were increased nationwide when the prices of fuel went up in the last few months.

According to the officials, even though their passengers complained about their inability to reduce the fare, they still patronize their services since the MMT fares were relatively lower than that of the 'trotro'.

The MMT charges 70 Gp and 50 Gp from Tema to Accra and Madina respectively. A copy of the new fare list made available to the GNA by the Biakoye Co-operative Society Limited in Tema showed that lorry fare from Tema Community one to Ashaiman Lebanon and Jericho was 40 Gp instead of 45 Gp.

Mr. Prince Mpere Larbi and Mr Edward Koranteng Narteh, chairpersons of the Biakoye Co-operative Society and the Tema Industrial area taxi local union, respectively called on the government to reduce the prices of other fuel products and spare parts. They said decrease in fuel prices alone should not be the only determinant in fixing of transport fares as according to them the price of engine oil, brake fluid and other petroleum products which affects their operations remain the same. The officials urged the government to ensure that the prices of food items were reduce by traders when it reduced transport fares. 15 Dec 08