The government of Ghana, following a meeting with the leadership of the Coalition of Commercial Transport Union on Monday, December 6, 2021, vowed to scrap some taxes at the pump.
Speaking On the PM Express on Monday, the spokesperson for the group, Imoro Abass, said they were promised in the meeting that the government is committed to reviewing some levies imposed on fuel at the pump.
According to him, the government said, the initiative will be captured in the mid-year budget review in May 2022 and it will be presented to Parliament for approval.
Fuel prices have risen to 39.92% from January to December and commercial transport operators think that scrapping five levies will reduce the percentage by 25.44.
The Chairman of Parliament's Transport Committee, Kennedy Osei Nyarko, has disclosed that GOIL has been directed by the government to lower fuel prices effective Tuesday, December 7, 2021.
Speaking to JoyNews on Monday, Kennedy said following the meeting the President had with the leadership of the transport union on Monday, GOIL has been directed to reduce fuel price by 15 pesewas per litre.
This according to him, will compel other oil marketing companies to reduce prices.
He said one litre of petrol which was sold at Ghc 6.85 is most likely to drop to Ghc 6.70 on Tuesday.
“I will not be surprised they [GOIL] will be talking about 15 pesewas per litre each off the products. That’s the information that I’m getting. I will not be surprised it will drop to about GHS6.70 tomorrow morning,” he said.
This development follows after the Coalition of Commercial Transport Owners halted operations on Monday, December 6, demanding that the government eliminate some gasoline taxes, allowing for lower prices at the pump.
Many Ghanaian workers and students who rely on public transportation to get to their various workplaces and schools were left stranded, with no viable option.
The Coalition had previously vowed to undertake an indefinite industrial strike on Monday unless the government removed some taxes at the pump.
Speaking on JoyNews on Sunday, December 6, the Spokesperson for the Coalition, Abass Imoro said the government needs to find a lasting solution to the hikes in fuel prices.
According to him, five different taxes imposed on them at the pump are what drain their earnings making it hard for them to cater to their families.
He said the taxes the transport operators want to be eliminated are; Price Stabilization and Recovery Levy, Special Petroleum Tax, Energy Recovery Debt Levy, and Sanitation Levy.
According to him, several engagements with the government have produced no better results so far.
“We started this crusade for about two weeks now, we have applied all humble measures to this. Each time we come out with our program, government authority steps in, oh wait, give us time then we will reverse whatever decision we have taken. Not once, not twice but thrice or four times hence our people started accusing us that we are not good leaders,” he said.
The group according to him, is resorting to strikes to express their grievances and for the government to take their voices seriously.
Meanwhile, some commuters have been left stranded, unable to reach their various destinations.
Reports indicate that vehicles that violated the group's directive and conveyed passengers were forced to offload their passengers.
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