The Ghana Haulage Transport Drivers Association operating at the Tema Main Harbour has embarked on a sit-down strike over what they describe as unfavourable working conditions as a result of the hikes in fuel prices.
More than 6,000 haulage transport drivers on Tuesday parked their vehicles to show their dissatisfaction with the current fuel prices and the negative impact on their operations.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Tema, Mr Shamsu Baba Yaro, Vice Chairman of the Joint Association of Point Transport Union (JAPTU), said drivers involved in the haulage transport business have been affected by the current economic challenges.
He said the drivers’ played an integral role in raking in revenue for the country’s development and that they spent huge sums of money to purchase fuel in Ghana compared to other neighbouring countries within West Africa.
“The cost of doing business in Ghana now is extremely expensive and we call on the government and other parastatals to try as much as possible to reduce the prices of fuel, especially diesel,” he said.
“One needs GH₵5,300.00 to purchase six drums of fuel in Ghana for a cross-country journey but elsewhere… you need 1.6 million CFA, equivalent to GH₵2,500.00, to buy the same quantity of fuel in other West African countries, this is unbearable.”
Mr Yaro said until they receive a favourable response from the government or the key stakeholders, no haulage vehicle would cart goods from the harbour to any part of the sub-region.
Meanwhile, the Ghana News Agency observed that authorities of the Tema Harbour had engaged the leadership of the Union over the sit-down strike.
They have asked for a 24-hour break to provide some reasonable feedback to the agitated drivers to decide the next line of action.
