Transports fares to go up again; as gov’t fails to remove petroleum taxes

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Concerned Drivers Association are unhappy with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

The latest development follows President Nana Akufo-Addo’s outright dismissal of the Unions’ suggestion for the government to scrap taxes on petroleum products.

The Transport and Driver unions are of the opinion that scrapping the petroleum taxes will cushion Ghanaians from the current high cost of living.

But Akufo-Addo says scrapping the taxes will cost the nation ¢4 billion.

The Unions have thus stressed that the government's posture leaves them no choice but to increase transport fares.

In an interview with JoyNews, GPRTU’s Communication Director, Samuel Amoah, said the government had deceived them.

“They [government] were always postponing the meeting and lying to us. Now that they have come out boldly to say that they cannot do it [remove taxes], we don’t think we have to pursue it again.

“We have done everything within our means for them to either scrap it or reduce some of the taxes. But we don’t think nothing can be done about it to organise that meeting again, and after that, we will all come out with the agreed [percentage] of transport fare increment,” he said on Wednesday.