Commercial drivers are demanding the scrapping of taxes on petroleum products in the 2018 budget statement.
The drivers say the high taxes on petroleum products has astronomically increased fuel prices and the cost of providing transportation services in the country.
The Secretary of the Ghana Private Roads Transport Union (GPRTU) Issah Khalifah told Starr News they expect the government to grant their request as the finance minister prepares to deliver the budget statement to parliament Wednesday.
“What we are experiencing now is unfortunate, the tax elements on the price buildup of fuel prices is killing us, so we are pleading with government to remove it.When the first budget was read, we were told that 2% of the tax element were reduced and that 2% of the tax element at that time was not even more than 20p and every now and then it keeps going up.
“So we are pleading with government when organizing itself for the budget, it should consider transporters because transporters are the movers and shakers of the country, if the transport industry breaks down everything in this country will break down,” he bemoaned.
Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo says the 2018 budget will announce significant electricity tariff review and reduction to help boost the industrial sector despite claims by the minority that the budget will create massive hardships for Ghanaians.
Source: Ghana/StarrFMonline.com/103.5FM
