Accra, Feb.4, GNA - The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), on Thursday appealed to the Minister of Roads and Highways to review the recently introduced toll rates downwards to enable vehicle owners to break even. It also asked all branch Unions to maintain the current approved lorry fares, while the leadership of the mother Union makes efforts to meet the sector Minister on the issue.

A press release issued in Accra on Thursday and signed by Mr Alando A. Sidik, General Secretary of the GPRTU, said the recent increases of road and bridge tolls was discussed at the Union's management meeting, where it was observed that the new tolls would affect transport owners' incomes adversely.

It said, for instance, an Urvan Bus from Accra to Ho which was previously paying eight Ghana Pesewas as at January 31, 2010, was now paying one Ghana Cedi.

"A round trip of that bus, that is by crossing the motorway, Afienya and Adomi in and out, which used to attract 48 Ghana Pesewas, now attracts Six Ghana Cedis per round trip a day," the release explained. If that type of bus is working for Six days in a week and is multiplied by four weeks times 12 months the total amount would be about 1,800 Ghana Cedis per year, it said. The release added apart from this, the vehicle owner also pays income tax and that the cost of all vehicle documentation processes have been increased as well. It therefore appealed to the Minister of Roads and Highways to review the toll rates downwards to enable vehicle owners to break even.