…Says taxes must stay, but transport fares should go up by 20% through dialogue
The national executive of the Concerned Drivers Association of Ghana has described the unilateral 25 per cent increment in transport fares by VIP Transport Company as “the right thing at the wrong time.”
In an exclusive interview with NewsGhanaOnline in Accra today, the National Public Relations Officer of the association, Mr David Kwame Mawunyo Agboado, said while transporters were genuinely struggling, no single operator should announce fare increases without engaging all stakeholders.
“We are all in one club. The transport fare must be increased. But if it must be increased, it must be through dialogue. Our sector is tripartite – the commuters, the transporters, and the Ministry of Transport. All three must come together and have one common goal,” Mr Agboado stated.
He explained that diesel prices had skyrocketed from GH¢12.39 to GH¢18.59 per litre, forcing drivers to cough an additional GH¢6 for every litre purchased.
“A litre is 4.5 to a gallon, so for one gallon, a driver adds GH¢30. The average driver uses 10 gallons daily – that means every day, a driver must find an extra GH¢300 just to stay on the road. That is unbearable,” he stressed.
Contrary to calls by the GPRTU for the removal of taxes such as the “dumsor” levy, Mr Agboado insisted taxes should be maintained.
“The ‘dumsor’ levy is just GH¢1.00. Even if you remove GH¢2.00 from GH¢18.59, you remain with GH¢16.59 – still far above the previous price of GH¢14.99. The driver still loses. We are not running a charity,” he said.
He rather appealed to government to allow a 20 per cent across‑board increment in transport fares through proper stakeholder engagement.
“We plead with Cabinet that they should not think of scrapping any tax from fuel. Instead, allow the transport community to charge 20 per cent to save the commuters, save the nation, and save us the transporters,” Mr Agboado pleaded.
He urged fellow drivers to exercise patience, adding that the association would make way where there was no way by next week.
He assured passengers that despite VIP’s announcement, no fare increment had taken effect at any terminal as of yesterday.
“There is no increment for now. Nobody should do what is not right. We should all abide by the laws of the state for a peaceful and better Ghana,” he said.
Mr Agboado described the current government as the most listening administration in recent times, noting that a meeting scheduled for yesterday had been moved to Thursday.
“If it doesn’t work after Thursday, then we the transporters will decide our fate,” he warned.
By Kingsley Asiedu
