GPRTU threatens to increase transport fares if gov't fails to reduce fuel prices

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has threatened that road fares will be increased if the government refuses to reduce fuel prices.

According to the General Secretary of GPRTU, Godfred Abulbire, the drivers expected the government to keep its word by ensuring a reduction in the price of fuel but fuel prices keep soaring.

A situation, he said the drivers and car owners cannot bear.

Godfred Abulbire speaking to Accra-based Citi FM said "All the efforts we made before the reading of the budget has not yielded any result. We were told that definitely from the next pricing window fuel prices will come down but that same night, GOIL was able to come down which was an indicator that what we were requesting will be achieved.

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"So we concluded the meeting with the hope that by the following week, GOIL will go lower. Shortly after, fuel prices started going up, and far more than we thought. It is serious. We are running at a very serious loss," he said.

"Two-thirds of our total income goes into fuel. People may not be able to maintain their cars and that can lead to accidents. The best option is that we have to go back, get another meeting and have the government understand that if the first option is what they are refusing, then our option is to increase the fares by a margin that will cushion us to at least break even. All the transport operators are holding a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the way forward," he added.