The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has strongly criticised the government’s introduction of the GHS1 levy hike on petroleum products, describing it as a “blow” to their operations.
Parliament on Tuesday passed the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, a move the Union says caught them off guard, barely a month after they cut lorry fares by 15%.
In an interview on Citi Eyewitness News on Wednesday, June 4, Industrial Relations Officer of the GPRTU, Alhaji Abass Imoro, expressed disappointment over the government’s decision without prior consultation with the association.
He argued that the move contradicts the expectations they had based on prevailing economic indicators.
“It is going to be a blow to us. We just reduced our lorry fares by 15%… We thought the reduction of the fuel due to the cedi appreciation was going to materialize, just for the next day to hear another thing. It is something that we need to get a clear understanding of to know our way forward. One cedi on a liter means a lot for a professional driver because anytime fuel prices are reduced, we get a lot of breathing space.
“They should have engaged us. We, the professional drivers, use the fuel a lot, so at least they shouldn’t have forgotten to have any discussion with us,” Imoro noted.
The Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, introduces a GHS1 increase in the levy on petroleum products. The measure is expected to generate an additional GHS5.7 billion annually to reduce energy sector debts and ensure a reliable power supply.”
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson disclosed that the energy sector debt currently stands at $3.1 billion and that the government needs $3.7 billion to fully clear arrears. He added that an extra $1.2 billion is required to procure fuel for thermal power generation in 2025.
Credit to Channel1news.com
