The price of fuel jumped again this week, prompting calls for the government to cut fuel taxes. However, while the government is yet to respond to these calls, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union GPRTU has hinted at a possible price increase in transport fares.

But the Deputy Secretary of the Union, Samuel Amoah, has urged drivers to exercise patience as discussions on transport fare adjustments are still ongoing.

According to him, the Easter festivities and holidays have delayed their scheduled meeting with the Transport Ministry and other stakeholders to table concerns about transport rates.

Speaking during an appearance on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Thursday, Mr Amoah explained that

“The Minister has scheduled a meeting for Tuesday to discuss the way forward. Until this meeting takes place, we have not reached a conclusion on whether there will be an increment or the percentage, if any, that will be applied,” he said.

He went on to appeal to the patience of commercial drivers, urging them to desist from taking unilateral actions, stressing that the leadership intends to finalise discussions with the Ministry before any decisions on fare adjustments are announced.

Mr Amoah stated that the purpose of the upcoming meeting is to formally engage the Ministry before any official announcement is made, assuring members that new updates will be given as soon as possible.

This comes after the drivers' association on April 1 gave the government a forty-eight-hour (48) ultimatum to cut taxes on fuel, warning of a potential increase in transport fares.

The ultimatum was announced by the Union’s Deputy Public Relations Officer during an interview on Joy News’AM Show.

He said, "We came up with this release and gave the government two days to do something about it.

"If they fail to do what this increment can, then we have no option but to organise ourselves to request an increment of transport fares for our members."

The ultimatum comes as the National Petroleum Authority announced new ex-pump price floors for April 1 to April 15, setting petrol at a minimum of GHS 13.30 per litre and diesel at GHS 17.10 per litre.

This increase in petroleum products has been linked to the escalating Middle East tensions involving Iran, the USA and Israel.

Transport operators say any further increase at the pumps will inevitably be passed on to commuters, as operational costs surge. The GPRTU has indicated that while fares have remained unchanged for now, sustained fuel price hikes will force a review.

Meanwhile, GPRTU's commitment to increase fares comes just a few weeks after assuring commuters that it will not rush to adjust transport fares despite the recent increase in fuel prices.

New prices of fuel took effect on Monday, March 17. As a result, petrol priced at GHȼ10.46 per litre moved to GHȼ11.57. The price floor for diesel has jumped from GH¢11.42 to GH¢14.35 per litre, and LPG rose from GH¢9.38 to GH¢10.67 per kilogramme.

The assurance follows growing public concern that recent increases in fuel prices at the pumps could trigger a corresponding rise in transport fares across the country.

Speaking on Channel One Newsroom, the Deputy Public Relations Officer of the GPRTU, Samuel Amoah, backed the Union’s Industrial Relations Officer, Abass Imoro, who earlier mentioned a possible upward adjustment of the fares following the fuel price hikes, citing fares were not determined solely by fuel prices but also by other operational costs, including spare parts, lubricants and taxes.

“We all agreed that where it is now, we will not rush into making any decision but will wait to see what will happen next. We are going to maintain the fares we are taking for now because who knows, the fuel price may stabilise or there may be an increase or reduction in the next pricing window,” he said.

According to him, authorities and other stakeholders met with the leadership of the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council and the Concerned Drivers Association of Ghana on Monday, March 16, and after the meeting, it was concluded that the current fares are to remain for the time being.

According to Amoah, the unions rely on a technical team to monitor market conditions and provide guidance on when fare adjustments may be necessary.

“We have a technical team that goes out to check all these things and reports. Per their report, there is a need for us to hold on to see what will happen in the next pricing window. We do not know where it will go. What if we increase, and then in the next pricing window, it goes up to where we can’t control the situation? We will not know what to tell our members, and we can’t come back to tell the public that we are coming in for another increment,” Amoah said.