Agona District drivers call for 50% fare increase.

Agona Swedru (C/R) Feb. 21, GNA - The Ghana Private Road Transport Union drivers in the Agona district of the Central Region have welcomed the 30 per cent increment in lorry fares, but appealed to the government to consider and make adjustment to enable them meet the current high cost of vehicle spare parts.

Mr Isaac Otabil, Chairman of the Swedru Texaco branch of the Union, who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in an interview at the weekend said since the government increased the petroleum products in 2001, drivers had run at a total lost up to date.

He said the expectation of the drivers after the Friday's announcement of the new prices for the petroleum products were that the government will give them at least 50 per cent increment in lorry fares instead of the 30 per cent offer.

Mr Otabil cited an example that the home used engine TD Urvan was sold at 5.5 million cedis in 2001/2002 but now sells at nine million cedis while 207 Benz bus used engine also sold at six million cedis and now sells at 12 million cedis.

The chairman stated that brand new tyres for 207 currently sells at 1.5 million cedis while the brand new tyres for TD Urvan bus also sells at 1.2 million cedis.

Mr Otabil stressed that the internal revenue service has also increase their vehicle income tax which had brought untold hardship to the drivers and appealed to the government to consider her decision to approved an increase of 50 per cent for them.

He however, said that the executives of the Texaco branch met last Saturday to welcome the 30 per cent increment announced by the government for the drivers in order to avoid cheating and confrontation with passengers.

The Chairman said the union executives in the Agona districts would schedule a meeting with the district assembly to discuss how best to solve the issue to enable the driver to gain profit and further enhance the transport sector.

Mr Otabil gave some of the new fares fixed by the executives,as Swedru -Cape Coast - 13000, Swedru-Makessim 9,000 cedis, Swedru-Assin Fosu - 16,000 and 14,000 for big and small vehicles respectively, Swedru-Obuasi 25,000, Swedru- Kumasi-30,000 cedis.

Others are Abodom- Bobikuma 4,000, Swedru-Gomoa Tarkwa-Essiam, 5,500, Swedru Potsin, 6,000 Swedru- Nsaba, 4,000 and Swedru-Twifo Praso, 21,000.

At the Central Regional secretariat of the Progressive Transport Owners Association, the regional chairman, Nana Yaw Fayah, told the GNA that executive met on Saturday and came out with the new fares as follows Swedru-Accra, 9000 cedis, Swedru-Esikuma, 6500, Swedru-Kasoa, 8000, Swedru-Breman, 6500, Odoben, 5000, Nkom, 5,000, Nyakrom, 3000 and 4,000 for small vehicles and Taxis Swedru-Oda, 8000 and 7000 for small and big cars.

At the Swedru-Accra main station, Mr Isaac Otoo Chairman of the branch also announced the new fares that they are charging as 10000 and 12000cedis for small and big vehicles from Swedru-Accra and 15000 and 11500 cedis for small and big vehicles from Swedru-Tema. 21 Feb. 05