The Concerned Drivers Association of Ghana (C-DAG) is urging the government to reject calls for petroleum tax cuts.
Instead, the association is demanding that Cabinet approve a “reasonable” upward adjustment in transport fares to help drivers cope with rising costs.
The call comes as Cabinet prepares to meet with the Minister for Transport to discuss the economic pressure hitting the transport sector.
While many consumer advocacy groups have pressured the government to scrap fuel taxes to provide relief at the pump, C-DAG argues that such a move would be short-sighted.
According to the association, the current price hikes are a direct result of ongoing global conflicts—external factors that are beyond the control of the government.
”The current hike in petroleum prices is largely driven by ongoing global conflict, making it a temporary situation beyond local control,” the association stated in a press release.
The association highlighted the critical role fuel taxes play in national growth, specifically citing road infrastructure projects.
C-DAG warns that removing these levies could lead to stalled national projects, the depletion of funding for essential road development, and a loss of revenue that the state cannot easily replace.
C-DAG maintains that adjusting fares is a more “sustainable and realistic” response than tinkering with the tax structure.
Their logic is rooted in flexibility; because the fuel hike is linked to global events, the association claims that transport fares can be quickly reduced once the international market stabilizes and prices drop.
As the Cabinet meets today, the eyes of the nation and the pockets of commuters are on the Ministry of Transport.
C-DAG’s stance puts them at odds with some passenger unions who fear that a fare hike will further burden the average Ghanaian.
However, the drivers remain firm: they believe that maintaining the country’s development fund while allowing them to charge competitive rates is the only way to ensure the transport sector survives the current global crisis.
By 1960news.com
