The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) is proposing a 30 percent hike in transport fares to offset the escalating operational costs triggered by soaring fuel prices.
Amoah indicated that discussions with the Transport Ministry commenced last Wednesday and are ongoing this week.
He also mentioned GPRTU’s previous attempt in January to implement a 20 percent fare hike, which was turned down by the Ministry due to procedural issues.
During an interview on JoyNews, Samuel Amoah, the Deputy Public Relations Officer, articulated the union’s stance.
In previous negotiations, GPRTU justified the proposed increase by citing various cost factors, such as spare parts, lubricants, DVLA, and insurance taxes.
He said “The Ministry therefore invited us for a conversation, an invitation we accepted and presented all our reasons for the 20 percent increment. Even at that time, the fuel price wasn’t as it is now.
“The 20 percent we came up with earlier, we considered the cost of spare parts, lubricants, and DVLA and Insurance taxes.
“Those were the major components that we focused on to come up with the 20 percent increment.”
Amoah emphasized that the substantial increase in fuel prices has prompted a reassessment of their earlier proposal.
Given the prevailing challenging economic circumstances, GPRTU has adjusted its stance, advocating for a 30 percent increase in transport fares.
He underscored the significance of this modification in alleviating the financial burden on drivers and ensuring the sustainability of their activities.
Amoah voiced confidence that the Ministry would acknowledge the pressing requirement for fare adjustments to safeguard the livelihoods of transport operators and enable them to sustainably deliver vital services to the nation.
“Our expectation on Wednesday is that, surely the Transport Ministry will agree with us so that we can increase the fares for our drivers to have peace of mind to continue serving the nation,” he added.