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The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has said they believe in having dialogue with the Transport Ministry and other stakeholders to resolve issues surrounding the increment of fuel prices.
According to the Industrial Relations Officer of the Accra branch of the GPRTU, Alhaji Abas Imoro, the union is solely focused on meeting authorities from the appropriate quarters on the matter to address their concerns, but it is not in their interest to take actions that will be deemed violent.
“We have never taken an entrenched position and that is why we want to sit down with the government for a mutual agreement because we believe in dialogue and not violence” Mr. Imoro said on Angel FM’s Anopa Bofo morning show.
He added that the unending increase in the fuel prices makes them frustrated and unable to attend to the needs of their families, hence, it is their expectation that taxes levied on fuel products would be scrapped off to ease their burdens.
Mr. Imoro cited the previous dialogue that ended inconclusively between union and authorities in the Transport and Energy Ministries saying the latter, taking entrenched positions, affected the unstable prices of fuel at the pumps.
Mr. Imoro threatened that they will embark on the industrial action if the authorities do not sit down with them to dialogue for peace to prevail.
Meanwhile, he highlighted that, about 16 coalitions of private transport operators will all park their cars should their hopes not materialize.
They include: Ghana Private Road and Transport Union (GPRTU), Association of Tipper Truck Drivers, Harbor Transport Owners, Ghana National Cargo Transport Association and Ghana Committed Drivers Association.
Others are: Concerned Drivers Association, Digital Drivers, Commercial motorbike riders popularly known as Okada, the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers among others.
Pump prices
Fuel taxes, levies and margins sum up to Gh¢2.43 per litre of petrol and Gh¢ 2.41 per litre of diesel.
The year began with a fuel price of Ghc4.950 per litre for either diesel or petrol but as at the first week of November 2021 it shot up to Gh¢6.90 representing about 35.04 per cent cumulative increment.
Price per gallon of petrol or diesel had increased from Gh¢22.28 in January 2021 to Gh¢31.05 in November 2021, representing Gh¢8.77 increment.
