Drivers embarked on strike
Akufo-Addo, Ken Ofori-Atta have the power to reduce fuel prices, Agbodza
Support drivers’ demand from government, Agbodza
Following the sit-down strike embarked on by the Coalition of Commercial Transport Owners on Monday, December 6, 2021, a Ranking Member on the Roads and Transport Committee of Parliament, Kwame Governs Agbodza, has called on the government to reduce the prices of petroleum products on the market.
According to him, the frequent talks by the government to solve the problems of drivers is unnecessary and the only way to end this issue is to reduce fuel prices.
He pointed that the onus lies on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to regulate the pricing of petroleum products downwards.
In an interview with Citi News, the lawmaker said, “I would expect the government to yield and reduce the prices. Talking and talking will not solve the problem because drivers are not capable of reducing the prices, Members of Parliament are not capable of reducing the prices.
“So it is only the President and the Finance Minister who can do that. It will be unfortunate if the strike continues, which will mean that the government is unable to do what it has to do,” he added.
Mr Agbodza also called on Ghanaians to back the request of drivers demanding a reduction of fuel prices and the scrapping of some taxes from the government.
In his view, people within the transport sector employ more people compared to those employed by the government.
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“We should all support the drivers in this quest. The fact is that the government can only employ 800,000 people according to the government payroll, but the drivers and their dependents are in the millions. So if you think of job creation and get people to support each other, then it will be better to do something to support the drivers today,” he added.
In the early hours of Monday, December 6, commuters were stranded at various lorry stations and junctions as these commercial vehicle drivers embarked on a sit-down strike.
Passengers were only left with the option of using ride-hailing services or motorbikes as their means of transportation to their various destinations.
These commercial vehicle drivers were asking the government to remove five taxes captured in the 2022 budget.
The five taxes and levies are the Price Stabilization and Recovery Levy, the Special Petroleum Tax, Energy Sector Levy, Energy Debt Recovery Levy, and the Sanitation and Pollution Levy from the pump price of petroleum products.
