Force GPRTU to reduce transport fares- CSO charges Ministry of Transport

Civil Society Organisation, the Energy Policy and Research Institute is charging the Ministry of Transport to force the Ghana Private Transport Union (GPRTU) to reduce transportation fares in response to the deregulation policy.

The GPRTU has declared it will not review transportation fares in response to the fortnight reviews of fuel prices under the National Petroleum Authority’s petroleum deregulation policy

The policy, which was implemented in June,2015 saw prices go up by 15 per cent. The GPRTU increased transportation fares as swiftly, but seemed to be reluctant in reducing transportation fares when fuel prices saw a 15 per cent reduction by the Oil Marketing Companies.

The National Chairman of the GPRTU, Alhaji Yaw Manu, argued, on Monday, that the union has agreed with government to review transportation fares yearly and not fortnightly in accordance with the deregulation policy, as more pressure mounted on the Union to reduce prices.

Total Ghana’s price per litre has been reviewed downwards between 1 to 2 per cent, while Allied Oil’s pricing has gone down by almost 4 per cent.

GOIL reduced its petrol price to 3 Ghana cedis 31 pesewas, while diesel sells at 2 Ghana cedis 89 pesewas and Shell is now selling a litre of petrol at 3 Ghana cedi 33 pesewas, while diesel is going for 2 Ghana cedis 92 pesewas.

Head of research at the Energy Policy and Research Institute, is however having none of it. Shariff Khalid has charged the Ministry of Transport to ensure that the reduction of fuel prices correspond in a reduction of goods and services whose prices are impinged upon by fuel prices.

"The prices of fuel affect everything and the deregulation policy is key. The Ministry of Transport must regulate the sector", Shariff announced.

Sharif Khalid lamented about how prices go up when fuel prices increase, but will not change when fuel prices reduce.

"The Ministry of Transportation must crack the whip. They must crack the whip’, he stressed in an interview with Accra based Citi FM.