GPRTU Increases Transport Fares By 20% Earlier Than May 13 Announced Date

• The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has increased transport fares by 20% ahead of an announced date next week
• The GPRTU said the change in plan was due to a comment by the president that it could not reduce the taxes that has raised the cost of fuel significantly
• The new increases in transport fares took effect from May 7 and has gotten Ghanaians on social media complaining about uncertainties in the economy

Commercial drivers under the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) have increased transport fares by 20% a week before a May 13 proposed date.

The new fares took effect from May 7, 2022, according to reports monitored by YEN.com.gh. The new higher fares have gotten hundreds of Ghanaians complaining on social media.

Many Ghanaians on Twitter have said the sudden increases in fares, coupled with increases in food prices on the market, raise the uncertainty in the economy.

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The GPRTU, the most influential driver union in Ghana, previously announced a 30% increase in transport fares on May 13 because of significant increases in fuel and spare parts costs.

However, the union said they have been compelled to raise prices before the announced date because of a remark by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

A member of the national communication team of the GPRTU, Samuel Amoah, told Joy News that they increased the prices ahead of the time due to President Akufo-Addo’s remark that government could not afford to remove taxes on petroleum products.

“So this news came to us and then we also came to a round table and found out that there is nothing they could do about reducing the taxes on petroleum products that is why we also organised ourselves, did our calculations and now from May 7, we are coming up with 20% upward adjustment in our transport fares,” a report by Joy News quoted Mr Amoah.

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The Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) has said they were not involved in the decision to increase the transport fares as required.

@NewsyMartin tweeted, "Brace yourselves #Ghana. Transport fares go up by 20% effective tomorrow May 7, 2022. GPRTU and other #transport unions unanimously agreed to it. Chale... I don't know ‍♂️."

@MANAFFROSSI remarked, "It's very sad that Ghana has gotten to this position. Can you imagine we were told that our increment will be Gh1.00 from tomorrow."

@Dreamwale90 remarked briefly, "It’s abnormal."

Don Wanney, tweeting @WanneyDon, said, "It time to start use horse bikes and donkey."

@Ecash38767284 stated that "They can do the worse but God won't forsake us. I don't blame any idiot managing de affairs of Ghana but de 4more ppl. We will all feel the pinch not only NDC, NPP or PNC ppl. Persons dat knw dz mafia very well frm birth warn Ghanaians yet he deceived us to test him."

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Emotional young Ghanaian expresses frustration with new transport fares in video

Trades Union Congress Demands Suspension Of All Taxes On Fuel After 54% Increase In Price Since January

YEN.com.gh reported previously in a related news that the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC) has bee pushing for the suspension of all taxes on petroleum products. The TUC cites the 54% increase on the commodity since January 2022 as debilitating.

In a statement, the association of over 6,000 workers from 14 different unions said the rampant increase in fuel price was draining Ghanaians' income.

"We propose that government must immediately suspend all taxes and levies on petrol, diesel, LPG and kerosene. This should bring down the prices of these fuels by an average of about 15%," the TUC said in the statement.

Source: YEN.com.gh