GPRTU suspends planned fare increase after GH¢2 diesel price cut

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has suspended its planned increase in transport fares following the government's decision to reduce the price of diesel by GH¢2, but says it will review the situation after monitoring fuel prices over the coming weeks.

The union had been considering a 30 per cent upward adjustment in fares due to rising operating costs, particularly fuel prices. However, it says the latest reduction in diesel prices has provided temporary relief, making it necessary to reassess the situation before taking any decision.

Speaking on Eyewitness News on Tuesday, August 4, Deputy Public Relations Officer of the GPRTU, Samuel Amoah, welcomed the government's intervention, saying it had prevented diesel prices from climbing to nearly GH¢20 per litre.

“This announcement of a two-cedi reduction on the diesel price, first, we appreciate what the President has done. Had it not been this intervention, it means that we were going to buy diesel at almost GH¢20 a litre,” he said.

Mr Amoah explained that the union decided to consider a fare adjustment when diesel was selling between GH¢17 and GH¢18 per litre, while petrol prices ranged between GH¢14 and GH¢15 per litre.

According to him, the proposed increase was put on hold after discussions with the Ministry of Transport, which assured the union that measures were being implemented to reduce fuel prices and address other challenges facing commercial drivers.

He noted, however, that the union was disappointed when fuel prices rose during the subsequent pricing window instead of declining as anticipated.

“We are not saying that what the President has done, we don’t appreciate. We appreciate it very well. But it has again come back to the state where it was that we decided to do our increment,” he stated.

Mr Amoah said the union agreed to postpone any fare adjustment because the current reduction is temporary and its long-term impact remains uncertain.

“We need to understand that this intervention is taking from this time to about a month. And after that month, we don’t know what will happen,” he said.

He disclosed that the GPRTU would closely monitor the two fuel price reviews scheduled for August before deciding whether a fare adjustment would still be necessary.

“We are holding on to see the middle of the month, the fuel price, the current price, what we see there. Then the last one too,” he added.

For now, the union has assured commuters that transport fares will remain unchanged, but cautioned that any significant increase in fuel prices in the coming weeks could compel it to revisit its decision.