The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) says government’s GH¢2 per litre diesel subsidy will provide limited relief for commercial transport operators, insisting that the intervention does not sufficiently address the sharp rise in fuel prices.
Deputy Public Relations Officer of the GPRTU, Samuel Amoah, said while the union appreciates government’s decision to reduce diesel prices, the current cost of fuel remains significantly higher than when discussions on transport fare adjustments began.
Speaking on JoyNews, Mr Amoah recalled that transport operators were asked by the Transport Ministry to suspend plans for a 30% fare increase after government indicated that measures would be introduced to reduce fuel prices.
“We were asked to hold on because they promised that government was going to work on the fuel price and that the next price would come down and all that. By then the diesel was around GH¢17, then petrol was around GH¢15. We were expecting a reduction,” he stated.
However, he said the current market situation has changed, with diesel prices approaching GH¢20 per litre, meaning the GH¢2 intervention only brings prices back closer to previous levels rather than delivering a substantial reduction.
“But now during this price window, diesel is approaching GH¢20 a litre. So because government is taking GH¢2 from the diesel, it means it is coming back to where it was, and that will not have any significant effect on us,” Mr Amoah argued.
According to him, the subsidy may only reduce the scale of any future transport fare adjustment rather than eliminate the need for an increase.
“What will happen is if we are to increase the fares, maybe the percentage that we were proposing is something that we may consider bringing it down,” he said.
The GPRTU had earlier proposed a 30% increase in transport fares, citing rising fuel costs and operational expenses.
Mr Amoah maintained that commercial transport operators continue to face significant cost pressures and will assess the impact of government’s intervention before deciding on the next steps regarding fares.
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