The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has expressed frustration over the government’s decision to introduce a GHS1 levy on petroleum products, accusing authorities of failing to consult key stakeholders before the policy was passed.
Speaking on Citi Eyewitness News on Wednesday, June 4, Industrial Relations Officer of the GPRTU, Alhaji Abass Imoro, described the move as a heavy blow to drivers, especially coming on the back of a recent 15% reduction in transport fares.
“We are not clear with their explanation, because if you are going to take 1 cedi on a litre, that is not small money. We just reduced our lorry fares with some understanding, thinking the appreciation of the cedi and fuel reductions would bring relief, only to wake up the next day to hear of another tax,” he said
Parliament recently approved the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which saw a GHS1 hike in petroleum levy. The government says the new measure will raise an estimated GHS5.7 billion annually to help reduce the over $3 billion energy sector debt and secure fuel for power generation.
However, the GPRTU believes more transparency and dialogue were needed before such a critical decision was taken and that their decision on the levy will be influenced by the result of their background research on how the levy will work on the side of their work.
“We are yet to get a clear explanation on that. This affects professional drivers more, and we believe we should have been part of the conversation. One cedi per litre means a lot. Whenever fuel prices are reduced, we get breathing space. This is something we cannot take lightly,” Alhaji Imoro added.