Fuel price increases received with mixed feelings

The fuel price increases announced by government on Friday came as no surprise to a cross section of the public in Ho, however the almost 100 percent increase was not anticipated.

A number of people the Ghana News Agency (GNA) contacted called for at least 50 percent increase in salaries to take effect from January one.

Mr Michael Ametame, a public servant said the increases were inevitable and justified to some extent but expressed worry about its impact on cost of living and inflation.

He called for a corresponding increase in wages and salaries across the board and should be implemented immediately.

Miss Faustina Dey, another public servant said increases in wages and salaries should have preceded the fuel price increases instead of after the fuel hike.

She explained that an announcement of increases in wages and salaries after the fuel price increases would more than double general price increases of goods and services.

He expressed pessimism that the difficult situation arising out of the fuel price increases would aggravate corruption in the public and civil services unless measures were taken to increase the purchasing power of workers.

Drivers in Ho have increased their fares by more than 100 percent.

Taxi fares have shot-up from 700 cedis to 1,500.

Fares from Ho to Accra have increased on the minimum from 8,100 cedis previously to 15,000 cedis, Ho-Aflao from 6,500 cedis to 12,000 cedis, Ho-Hohoe from 7,000 cedis to 11,000 cedis and Ho-Kpando from 6,500 cedis to 10,000 cedis.