Fuel Taxes are at the centre of a growing standoff between transport operators and government, as the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) issues a 48-hour ultimatum demanding their removal.

The union has warned that failure to abolish fuel-related taxes within the deadline will trigger a nationwide increase in transport fares.

According to GPRTU, the rising cost of operations has become unbearable for commercial drivers, driven by escalating fuel prices, high spare parts costs, poor road conditions, and increased charges by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).

Deputy Industrial and Public Relations Officer, Samuel Amoah, said while government may argue that current economic pressures are beyond its control, transport operators are being forced to take decisive action to survive.

“We came up with this release and gave the government two days to do something about it. If they fail to do [that]…then we have no option but to organise ourselves to request an increment of transport fares for our members,” he stated.

“What the government and the president is saying is, it is something they can’t control right now, but the transport operators may be forced to,” he added in an interview with Joy News.

The ultimatum comes amid new pricing guidelines by the National Petroleum Authority, which set minimum ex-pump prices for April 1 to April 15 at GHS 13.30 per litre for petrol and GHS 17.10 per litre for diesel.

These figures represent a sharp increase from the previous pricing window ending March 31, where petrol and diesel were sold at GHS 11.57 and GHS 14.35 per litre respectively.

The spike in prices has been linked to ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which continue to disrupt global oil supply and pricing.