Coalition of Commercial Transport Operators which includes the Ghana Private Road and Transport Union (GPRTU), Concerns Drivers Association of Ghana, Ghana National Cargo Transport Association and Committed Drivers Association are threatening strike and possible actions over hikes on fuel and its effects on the transport sector in the country.
The Coalition has therefore given government up to Monday, November 8, 2021 to as a matter of urgency address their concerns else they will advice themselves on November 9, 2021-Tuesday.
The commercial transport operators have tagged as nuisance the taxes and levies on petroleum products making their work zero profit hence want to see the government scraping the levies or face their wrath.
At a crunch meeting by the transport operators on Tuesday, November 2,2021, concluded that government should take the urgent steps to scrap some levies and reduce the energy levies as well.
Addressing the press at the meeting, Abass Imoro, PRO for GPRTU who spoke on behalf of the coalition, explained that since the introduction of the taxes on petroleum products by government, it has seriously affected commercial transport operators, making it impossible to operate the business positively.
“The introduction of the levies on petroleum has drastic caused the increment of fuel at the pump which automatically is negatively affecting and worsening the burden of transport operators and drivers in the country”, he said.
The transport operators want government clearing the Stabilization and Recovery levy, Fuel Marking Margin levy, Special Margin levy, Bost Margin levy and the Prime Distribution Margin levy put on petroleum products and reduce the energy sector, energy debt recovery and fund levy to 30 pesewas per litre.
He noted that, government’s failure to scrap the above mentioned levies on petroleum products, will leave transport operators with no choice than to take the next line of action to relieve them of the burden, adding, ” our next line of action would come up if our plight are not adhered to by government.”
However, the Chairman of the Committed Drivers Association, Mr. Charles Danso on a telephone interview today, November 6, 2021 with Filasco DeGeneral confirmed that, all the aforementioned commercial transport operators will meet on Tuesday to decide their fate, if government fails to meet their ultimated time i.e November 8, 2021-Monday.
He posited that, the decision that will come out from their meeting on Tuesday, November 9, will be the decision for all the association members and will be followed duely.
