The Concerned Drivers Association of Ghana (C-DAG) has given the government a one-week ultimatum to solve skyrocketing fuel prices.
The drivers say they will be forced to take drastic measures should the Akufo-Addo-led administration fail to heed their call.
A statement from the association said the recent increment of GHC 8.44 per litre of petrol to more than GHC10 per litre of the same commodity is highly abnormal and causing an unbearable hardship to them.
“The continuous increment should never be justified by the government with the Russia-Ukraine war and the continuous falling of the potency of the Cedi as against the US dollar.
“It must be critically observed that the tax component on the price of a litre of petrol is a major contributor to the abnormal rate.
“We strongly believe that the taxes, when removed, will aid the reduction of the price of petrol. It must be noted that one major promise of this government was to remove the taxes on petrol,” the group said in a statement.
Meanwhile, prices of petroleum products are expected to experience a significant surge as consumers are to pay ¢11 per litre, the Institute for Energy Security (IES) has projected.
Currently, petrol and diesel are selling at an average of GH¢8.2 per litre at the pumps.
Before 1 March 2022, petrol and diesel traded at an average GH¢7.50 per litre, representing an increment of 8.6 per cent in the just-ended pricing window.
The Institute for Energy Security has since appealed to the government to fast-track intervention in the rising fuel prices at the pumps to cushion consumers against hardships.
According to the energy think tank, the hikes in fuel prices have negatively impacted the cost of living of consumers and households, with inflationary pressures hitting businesses in the country.
Below is the full Statement from the drivers
Government Must Reduce Fuel Prices
We send our warm felicitations to all Ghanaians, most especially the media, who have always awarded us a listening ear even amidst the dire tribulations the whole country is going through as a result of the daily increment of petrol prices.
This statement is issued by the regional chairmen of the Association because we feel the national executives have been mincing words and fail to press harder on the government on this specific subject that has lingered on for a long time.
1. We are by this statement-making a clarion call on the government to reduce the price of petrol in the country.
2. The GHC 8.44 mark per litre of petrol is highly abnormal and causing an unbearable hardship on us.
3. That, the continuous increment should never be justified by the government with the Russia-Ukraine war and the continuous falling of the potency of the Cedi as against the US dollar.
4. It must be critically observed that the tax component on the price of a litre of petrol is a major contributor to the abnormal rate. We strongly believe that the taxes, when removed, will aid the reduction of the price of petrol. It must be noted that, one major promise of this government was to remove the taxes on petrol.
5. We wish to remind the President that Ghana is an oil-producing country, and so we possess every right to call on the government to have petrol subsidised for us in circumstances where the world market price rises.
6. President Akufo Addo should remember that then, in opposition, he promised to us during a campaign tour at Kwame Nkrumah Circle that he was going to reduce petrol prices for us should we vote for him. Today, he is in his second term as President but has deliberately chosen to forget about that key promise. It’s about time he woke up from his slumber to act quickly!
7. In conclusion, we have given the President and his government a one-week ultimatum to have the price of petrol reduced. Failure to heed this call will see members of this Association, including amour allies such as GPRTU, Co-Operative, PROTOA, and Cargo Drivers, mass up and block the entrances of his Nima residence to prevent him from going out. Yes, that action is just one out of many radical demonstrations we’ll embark upon to press on the president to have the prices reduced as we are also considering the blocking of all major roads with our vehicles.
8. Amidst the continuous precarious petrol prices, we call on all Ghanaians to stand with us devoid of partisanship as we fight for more relaxed arrangements to be made by the government.