The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has called off its planned industrial action over the recently introduced GH₵1 fuel levy. The strike, which was scheduled to commence on Tuesday, June 10, has been canceled following a meeting with the Ministry of Energy.
The decision to suspend the protest was made after the union received further clarification from the Energy Ministry regarding the purpose and implementation of the levy. According to Samuel Amoah, Deputy Public Relations Officer of the GPRTU, the meeting provided valuable insights into the government’s rationale for introducing the levy.
Speaking in an interview with the press, he explained that the strike action has been suspended based on the meeting the GPRTU leadership had with the Ministry. “The strike action has been suspended based on a meeting the (GPRTU) leadership had with the Ministry just this afternoon,” he confirmed.
The union had earlier expressed strong opposition to the levy, arguing that it would place an additional financial burden on drivers and transport operators already grappling with rising operational costs. However, the meeting helped clarify the government’s stated aim of ensuring an uninterrupted fuel supply to keep the energy sector stable and avoid power outages.
Amoah noted that the union’s primary concern was that the new levy would affect their fuel consumption at the pump. “Our issue is that we don’t want a situation whereby some amount of money is going to be added to the fuel product as we go to the pump to buy,” he said.
Despite the suspension of the protest, the GPRTU will continue to monitor developments closely and engage with relevant stakeholders to ensure that the concerns of its members are addressed. Amoah emphasized the union’s commitment to protecting the interests of its members and ensuring that their voices are heard.
The GPRTU’s decision to suspend the strike is expected to ease tensions between the union and the government. However, the union’s continued monitoring of the situation suggests that the issue may not be fully resolved, and further developments may unfold in the coming days.
