Barely a month after the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) increased lorry fares in response to increase in fuel prices, the Union has indicated it will soon increase transport fares again.
Head of the Union’s Communications, Abass Imoro, on Tuesday told Accra based Joy FM that the decision to increase prices has been necessitated by the surge in the price of fuel at the pumps.
“When we came out with this current adjustment, fuel price was at GH₵7.990 [per liter], so we are waiting for the 10 percent ratio so if it crosses to the GH₵8.8 [per litre], we will come out with a new price. That is the only way we can sustain our transport industry,” he explained.
on Saturday, February 26, less than a month ago, the Union increased fares by 15 percent
On Wednesday, March 16 fuel prices are expected to experience another surge with consumers expected to pay GH¢11 per litre.
Consequently, the GPRTU, according to Mr. Imoro, is deliberating on the percentage of adjustment to be made on the existing fares.
He blamed the Akufo-Addo government for the mechanical price response to the increase in fuel prices because the government has ignored proposals that were made to cushion commuters.
“We came up with this strategy which would have helped, we wouldn’t have gotten to where we are today, because internally, we have created our taxes, levies, and margins of which we engaged the government about,” Mr. Imoro stated.
“If the government listened to us or was able to do something about it, we wouldn’t be here. So we need to do this to sustain our members,” he said.