The Coalition of Commercial Transport Owners has withdrawn its services until government scraps some taxes on fuel to enable reduction at the pumps.
This has left many commuters who use their services to and from their various destinations stranded.
The Coalition earlier threatened to embark on indefinite strike action today until government scraps taxes like the Price Stabilisation and Recovery Levy, Special Petroleum Tax, the Energy Recovery Debt Levy, and the Sanitation levy.
Drivers at Ablekuma, clad in red armbands, have hit the streets to register their displeasure with government.
According to JoyNews‘ Maame Esi Thompson, no commercial vehicle is allowed to work at Ashaiman.
Drivers who dare defy the directive are compelled to alight their passengers or risk having their vehicles immobilised.
After several failed attempts to secure a vehicle, some commuters say they are left with no other alternative than to stay off work for today.
However, a few benevolent citizens are helping some commuters to ease the situation.
The Coalition of private transport operators consists of Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Association of Tipper Truck Drivers, Harbor Transport Owners, Ghana National Cargo Transport Association, Ghana Committed Drivers Association, Concerned Drivers Association, Digital Drivers, Commercial motorbike riders, popularly referred to as Okada, the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers among others.
According to the Coalition, the government for the past two weeks has failed to heed their calls for some taxes to be scrapped.
Speaking to JoyNews, the group’s spokesperson, Abass Imoro, noted that government must find a lasting solution to the hikes in fuel prices.
“We started this crusade for about two weeks now; we have applied all humble measures to this. Each time we come out with our program, government authority steps in; oh wait, give us time, then we will reverse whatever decision we have taken. Not once, not twice but thrice or four times; hence our people started accusing us that we are not good leaders.”
“Looking at the current economy in which we are, we researched and find out that there is a way out. There are some taxes and levies and margins that can be scrapped out which will reduce the pump price for all of us to alleviate us from the current suffering,” he added.
Source: Myjoyonline
