The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has revealed plans to increase transport fares should the government announce an increase in fuel prices on Monday January 4.
The prices of petroleum products are expected to see a rise from between 18 to 27 per cent from Monday, following the passage of the Energy Sector Levy (ESL) by Parliament in December 2015.
[contextly_sidebar id=”0SWGTo1YEklAcL8yLsItG6E04Jsv0pD7″]Despite a marginal decrease in fuel prices last month, the GPRTU did not adjust transport fares.
However, the Union says that any increase in fuel prices as a result of the ESL, would result in an upward adjustment in the transport fares.
The National Chairman of the GPRTU, Kwame Kuma, told Citi News there hasn’t been any official communication from the sector ministry about the imminent fuel price hikes, although they expect to be told of the increase on Monday.
“They haven’t called us to tell us anything. We are still in the holiday period and we’ll resume on Monday. I’m sure when we do, they’ll call us so that we sit down with them. No matter how it is, the increment will come; but all of us in the transport sector will sit down. Even though there’s no transport minister, the administrators are available for us to meet and decide what to do.”
Kwame Kuma argued that although fuel prices were not the only factors for transport fare adjustments, there have been recent increases in the prices of vehicle spare parts, which is a factor considered for such adjustments.
“If the increments come, no matter how it is, we are also going to increase our fares. It’s not the only thing used to decide the transport fares. The tyres, income tax, everything is rising” he noted.
By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana