The Ghana Private Roads and Transport Union [GPRTU], has asked commuters to brace themselves for a possible increase in transport fares soon.
According to the GPRTU, the increment has become necessary following constant increases in the prices of vehicle spare parts.
[contextly_sidebar id=”FrZCcLwoiZvzB5WWEwBZdJnbUp0OJNvV”]The Vice Chairman of GPRTU, Robert Saba, explained to Citi Business News that members of the union have had to bear the extra cost for some time now, but can no longer absorb it.
“The spare parts have gone up and it is not the fuel alone that we use in calculating our fares. Looking at the current situation, the spare parts have gone up and it demands for an increase in lorry fares. Almost every part that we use [The price] has gone up,” he lamented.
Mr. Saba stated that, the current situation requires an upward adjustment in transportation fares to cushion transport owners and drivers.
“We have fought hard not to increase the fares. The tyres that we use, the rings that we buy in overhauling our vehicles, the bearings,— almost everything has gone up. With this, we have no choice but to increase fares to mitigate the impact” he explained.
“We do not take delight in increasing fares because we know its ripple effect. But take for instance a turbocharger which was previously selling at Ghc300 is now selling at Ghc400” he added.
Mr. Saba maintained that the union will strongly push for the increase in all its engagements with the major stakeholders in the transport sector, including government.
The government in 2017 scrapped import duties on some selected spare parts following a campaign promise in the 2016 general elections.
It is thus unclear whether the spare parts used by these GPRTU members were not affected by the tax cut.
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By: Jessica Ayorkor Aryee/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana