Kwame Governs Agbodza, the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Roads and Transport Committee, has urged the government to address the complaints of driver unions by lowering fuel prices.
He believes that multiple meetings with union officials are needless.
His remarks come in the wake of a strike by private commercial drivers that began on Monday, December 6, 2021.
They suspended the strike following an invitation extended to their leadership by the Presidency.
In an interview with Citi News, the Adaklu legislator said only the President and the Finance Minister can direct that fuel prices should be reduced.
“I would expect the government to yield and reduce the prices. Talking and talking will not solve the problem because drivers are not capable of reducing the prices, Members of Parliament are not capable of reducing the prices.”
“So it is only the President and the Finance Minister who can do that. It will be unfortunate if the strike continues, which will mean that the government is unable to do what it has to do.”
Mr. Agbodza added that the public must support commercial drivers in demanding that fuel prices be reduced
“We should all support the drivers in this quest. The fact is that the government can only employ 800,000 people according to the government payroll, but the drivers and their dependents are in the millions. So if you think of job creation and get people to support each other, then it will be better to do something to support the drivers today.”
About the suspended strike
The strike, which started in the early hours of Monday, December 6, 2021, left thousands of commuters in parts of the country stranded.
At some bus terminals, the police were called to ensure calm as some drivers harassed their colleagues who had passengers in their vehicles. The drivers were protesting the high cost of fuel.
The past six months have seen a significant increase in fuel prices.
