Accra-Ghana, Oct. 25, GNA- Commercial transport operators will this evening hold crunch meeting with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to discuss fuel pricing issues and the impact on transport fares.
Fuel prices have been on a constant rise in the last few weeks, compelling the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) to propose a 30 per cent increment in fares to sustain operations.
A meeting between transport operators and the Ministry of Transport over the proposed increment in fares yesterday ended inconclusively, Mr Godfred Abulbire, General Secretary, GPRTU, told the Ghana New Agency.
Mr Abulbire said the transport operators and the Ministry failed to reach an agreement on the proposed rate.
“Initially, we proposed 30 per cent. But during the discussions, we came down to 25 per cent. But the Minister said we should consider 16.5 per cent but that was too low for us.
“In fairness, the calculation of all our indicators should be 42 per cent.” he said.
Mr Abulbire said the meeting with the President would discuss whether transport fares should be reviewed upwards again if fuel prices shot up in the next pricing window.
“We said when it (fuel prices) goes up, we will increase again and that’s where we couldn’t arrive at a decision and we have to extend it to the President,” he said.
Currently, petrol and diesel are selling at an average GHS13.10 and GHS15.99 respectively.
VIP JEOUN Transport Limited Monday morning (0700hours) implemented a 20 per cent upward adjustment in transport charges for long distance journeys in response to the recent hikes in fuel prices among other variables that affect its operations.
In an interview, Mr Ernest Frimpong Manso, General Manager, VIP JEOUN, said the increment in fuel prices had significantly affected cost of operations, hence the increment.
“Before the recent increase in petroleum prices, in the past, a bus from Accra to Kumasi was given 200 litres of diesel to ply the route, which cost around GHS2, 700. Now, the same 200 litres is GHS3, 190,” he said.
