GPRTU to increase transport fares despite gov’t GH¢2 diesel intervention
Transport fares are set to go up in the coming days despite the government’s intervention to absorb GH¢2 from diesel prices, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has hinted.
According to the Deputy Public Relations Officer of the GPRTU, Samuel Amoah, the intervention could reduce the percentage increase being considered but would not prevent an upward adjustment in fares.
Speaking on TV3’s Ghana Tonight on September 1, Mr Amoah explained that the union had initially planned to increase transport fares by 30% during the first week of August due to rising fuel prices.
He said the planned increment was, however, suspended after the government intervened to absorb GH¢2 from the price of diesel.
Mr Amoah welcomed the government’s decision to extend the GH¢2 diesel intervention until the end of September but stressed that it would not stop the union from reviewing transport fares based on prevailing fuel prices.
“We have in mind increasing transport fares. The first week of August, we intended to come up with a 30% increase in transport fares; that was when the President also came in by taking GHC2 from the diesel prices.
“We appreciate what the government has done by extending the GHC2 to the end of September. At least, it can even reduce the percentage that maybe we would like to increase. Had it not been for this intervention, we would be buying diesel around GHC20 thereabouts.
“We will put it into consideration, but that will not stop us from increasing transport fares based on where the fuel prices are now,” he explained.
He said the union is yet to take a decision on the percentage by which transport fares will be increased.
“We first proposed 30% based on where the fuel price was. As I am speaking to you, we have not decided on the actual percentage that we will use for now. Hopefully, by tomorrow, Wednesday, we will get to know and communicate to the public,” he said.
Mr Amoah said the government, through the Ministry of Transport, appealed to transport operators in August to maintain existing fares and assured them that fuel prices would reduce in subsequent pricing windows.
He noted, however, that the expected reductions did not happen, with transport operators facing further increases during the current September pricing window.
The GPRTU is expected to announce its decision on the proposed adjustment after consultations with its members.
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