COPEC calls for stimulus support for public transport operators
The executive secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers, Duncan Amoah, says the government should consider providing a stimulus package for public transport operators if it wants to prevent increases in transport fares
Duncan Amoah, executive secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), says the government should support transport owners to help ease the burden on consumers.
Drivers who ply the Tarkwa-Takoradi route in the Western Region increased their fares by about 30% yesterday (29 June 2020) to make up for limited passenger intake resulting from measures to ensure social distancing on buses.
Some drivers at the Neoplan Station in Accra have also appealed for an increase in fares to make up for the drop in revenue.
“If you look at the kind of numbers [transport owners] are operating with currently, it is problematic as they have to go and pay for sales, fuel and spare parts, among others. We are not in normal times, so we are calling on the government to put in place as a matter of urgency some subsidy program for these commercial transport operators.
“Either we reduce the taxes on fuel for them alone or we find a way to identify unions and give them some targeted subsidies so that every driver can at least have some minimum amounts to augment their fuel purchases and spare parts,” he said.
“This can be done at least within this period. Once they are able to go through this period and get back to working normally, we may now have to look at their operations from a proper perspective,” Amoah said.
Smaller takings
Following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, which has had an adverse effect on many sectors of the economy, many workers’ groups have called on the government for support.
In his 11th televised address to the nation on the COVID-19 situation, President Akufo-Addo asked drivers of commercial vehicles to reduce the number of passengers they carry on their vehicles in order to adhere to social distancing protocols in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
While some public transport owners have been noticeably compliant, others have refused to pay heed, arguing that practising social distancing on their vehicles will reduce their revenue.
As of 30 June, Ghana has had 17,741 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 13,268 recoveries and 112 deaths.
