Some drivers and passengers have kicked against the 5.7 per cent increment in fuel levies announced in the 2021 budget statement. The drivers appeal to government to reintroduce income tax and reduce prices at the pumps.
Government is introducing a ten pesewas Sanitation and Pollution and twenty pesewas Energy Sector Recovery Levies to be charged on the price per litre of petrol and diesel under the Energy Sector Levies Act ESLA.
A combination of the increases in the petroleum levies will result in 5.7 per cent increase in fuel at the pumps.
Speaking to the Republic Press, some drivers and passengers said government is not being fair to them while others believe the levies are for a good cause.
A majority of the drivers are calling on the government to reintroduce income tax and reduce prices at the pumps.
Mr Kofi Amoako-Atta, a driver at the Tema station said “I will plead with the government to rather reintroduce income tax and reduce prices at the pumps else it will affect our business.”
Similarly, another driver, Mr Ntow said “Government should rather bear the cost of the 5.7 per cent increase in fuel and reintroduce income tax”.
“The transportation business is already struggling; increasing fuel price will affect us as well as passengers. I have four children, if the government continues to increase fuel price and still maintain lorry fare, how do we settle our care owners and take care of our family”. Mr Francis, a driver.
Another driver, Mr Akoto said “sometimes we make as little as 200 to 300 cedis in a day. It is from this money that we have to buy fuel, how much can we save after buying fuel?”
“Since we voted, the government has increased fuel price for about four times. After paying our care owners, we don’t have anything left. we have families to take care of”. A driver, Mr Bartels
Our checks have revealed that fuel prices had increased by 17 per cent over the past two months from GHc4.7 per litre to GHc5.45.
