Gov’t Directs GOIL To Cut Fuel Prices After Drivers’ Strike, Demo

The government, according to the head of communications of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Mr Abass Imoro, has directed state oil firm Ghana Oil Company (GOIL), to cut the prices of fuel at the pumps effective Tuesday, 7 December 2021.

The decision comes after the presidency met union leaders of commercial drivers on Monday, 6 December after they went on a sit-down strike and demonstration.

Additionally, Mr Imoro also said the government committed to cutting taxes on fuel prices in the mid-year budget.

Per the directive, the Chairman of the transport committee of parliament, Mr Osei Nyarko, told Accra-based Joy FM that a reduction of GHp15.

This means fuel will sell at GHS6.7 per litre at the pumps.

The nationwide sit-down strike by the commercial drivers led to thousands of commuters getting stranded.

The drivers took the action to force the government to reduce the price of fuel, which has consistently soared since the beginning of the year.

A few commercial drivers, who broke ranks with their unions, were seen being harassed and prevented from moving by their fellow striking colleagues, who turned themselves into a strike enforcement mob.

A mob of striking drivers were seen on the Ablekuma-Lapaz stretch in Accra massing up and mounting blockades in the middle of the road to prevent their other colleagues from working.

The working drivers are forcibly stopped and every passenger disembarked by the mob.

As a result, schoolchildren, parents, nurses, market women, and people of all walks of life, were seen trekking long distances to their various destinations.

A few of them were lucky to be given lifts by private drivers.

Taxi-hailing apps like Uber, Bolt and Yango cashed in on the strike as demand for their services shot up.




SOURCE: Nii Otu Dadeban Ankrah