Plight of commercial drivers worsen as vehicle owners repossess cars amid fuel price hikes
Some commercial drivers in the country report that vehicle owners are reclaiming their properties due to plummeting sales caused by recent fuel price hikes.
The drivers revealed that soaring fuel costs have made the commercial transport business unprofitable, pushing the sector to the brink of collapse.
Some Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) started increasing the prices of petroleum products at the pumps on July 16.
Fuel prices have surged with a litre of petrol selling at GH₵15.10 and diesel at GH₵15.25
The OMCs attributed the increase in prices to the rising international crude oil prices and the depreciating cedi.
The relentless fuel price hikes are severely affecting the commercial transport sector, causing losses for many drivers.
They expressed concern that vehicle owners are reclaiming their cars, resulting in widespread job losses among drivers.
“Many drivers have parked their cars not because of their bad attitude. The owners have taken their cars back. Maintenance is now expensive. The drivers are using their daily sales for fuel,” Kofi Adjei, a driver said in an interview with The Ghana Report.
Meanwhile, commuters are frustrated alike by the unending fuel price surge.
“How much are we earning as citizens that they must consistently increase fuel prices? It’s not as if they are increasing our salaries too. I spend 500 Ghana cedis on transport monthly. The government must do something. What’s the essence of the TOR?,” Bright Adamu, a commuter quizzed.
Meanwhile, the drivers’ union are ready to stage a campaign against the government.
But until the cedi gains stability against the dollar, commuters and drivers will continue to bear the ripples of the fuel price hike.
Meanwhile, the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers(COPEC) has urged the government to address the worsening performance of the Ghana cedi to ameliorate the issue of fuel hikes.
Additionally, COPEC appealed to the government to expedite efforts to bring the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) back into operation.