The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) is requesting that government scraps about six taxes and levies in the petroleum sector amidst concerns of a rise in fuel prices.

National Communications Officer, Abass Moro, speaking on JoyNews listed the special petroleum tax, BOST margin levy, energy sector recovery levy among the taxes that government should have removed.

Interacting with Evans Mensah on PM Express, Mr Moro stated that commercial drivers are worse off as they have been hit with consistent increase in fuel prices and these taxes and levies they are to pay.

According to him, after taking into consideration the increment of crude oil prices on the world market, the surest way government can mitigate the impact of increased fuel prices on citizens is to scrap some five to six fuel taxes and levies.

"We have identified about five or six taxes and levies that we want government to strike out. We realized from May this year to October, fuel prices have gone up significantly. In May, a litre of petrol or diesel was priced GH6.08. Currently, it is around GH6.50. It has affected our business a lot.

"It has gotten to stage where we have realized we are working without warning or anything. Because we are professional drivers, we we have been buying a lot of the fuel. If care is not taken, no one will join the driving industry," he said on Tuesday.

The GPRTU Communications Officer further added that "Currently, we are buying a gallon of petrol around GH¢29. If government listens to us and reduces these taxes and levies, a gallon of petrol would go for about GH¢18.

His suggestions follow a projection by the Institute for Energy Security that diesel price is expected to go up marginally from the beginning of October 2021.

Due to rising concerns, the Energy Ministry stated that works are ongoing to suspend levies on fuel products. Following this, news broke that President Nana Akufo-Addo has granted approval to zero the Price Stabilisation and Recovery Levies on petrol, diesel, and LPG for a period of two months.

On its part, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) assured the general public of its commitment to work with the Ministries of Energy and Finance to quicken the legislative processes to give immediate effect to this directive by the President.

But Mr Abass Moro is of the view that although the directive is timely, it is simply not enough to cushion commercial drivers from the damages they are facing as a result of increased fuel prices.

"That is just one of the five or six taxes we want government to look at. Government says for just 2 months but we are asking for total wipe out. It is not enough," he said.

According to him, should government fail to reason with the Union, consumers of public transit would have to bear the brunt.

He noted that transport fares would be adjusted upwards by 20 per cent should government not reconsider its decision.