The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), is set to meet with the Transport Ministry on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, over plans to increase transport fares.
The meeting has become necessary after GPRTU indicated that it had begun a sensitization exercise on a possible increment in transport fares.
Goldfred Abulbire, General Secretary of the union, has been speaking to Citi News about the upcoming meeting.
“We have done our survey, so we are going to meet the Minister. So the outcome of the meeting could be that, the fares may not be increased. Fare increment is not in our interest because it affects us. We have not made any proposal yet, but we are going to meet the Minister”, he said.
The GPRTU has earlier refuted reports that the union is meeting with the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council over their decision to increase transport fares.
The union had indicated that it had begun sensitising the public to a possible upward adjustment in fares due to the incessant increase in fuel prices.
Industrial Relations Officer of the union, Abass Imoro, noted that their pronouncement on fare increment will be put on hold should the prices of fuel stabilise.
He however noted that a 10 percent increase in fuel prices will prompt an increase in transport fares.
“We are sensitising the public on a possible upward adjustment and if the prices remain as it is, we have no cause for alarm.”
“But when it hits the 10 percent increase threshold, definitely, we shall come out with another upward adjustment,” Mr. Imor said.
He thus said the fate of transport fares was in the hands of the government.
“Should it happen, it isn’t the fault of the driver or the GPRTU,” Mr. Imoro said.
Transport fares went up by 20 percent in May.
As of May 9, 2022, when the new fares took effect, petrol and diesel were selling at a national average of GH¢9.41 and GH¢11.12, respectively.
The price of petrol has gone up by about 10 percent to sell at an average GH¢10.95 per litre while diesel is trading at an average GH¢13.50 per litre, representing about 14 percent increment in the Second Pricing Window in June 2022.