Audio By Carbonatix
Public Relations Officer (PRO) for the Okada Riders' Association, Solomon Akpanaba, has said that the group is not planning to embark on any strike despite the recent hikes in fuel prices.
In an interview on Prime Morning on Thursday, Mr Akpanaba explained that since "government is not increasing fuel prices illegitimately," they will continue to undertake their regular activities.
"I want to state emphatically that we have no intention to embark on any strike. We sympathise with the government and we support government in whatever government is doing. We are focused and we fight a battle at a time."
Currently, some Oil Marketing Companies (OMC) have increased the prices of fuel by about 10 pesewas. A litre of petrol is currently being sold at about GHC6.90 at most fuel vending stations.
Early this week, sixteen driver unions threatened to embark on a strike on Thursday, November 11, if government does not heed their call to scrap the levies on petroleum products.
After a negotiation with the Transport Ministry, the strike has been postponed to November 16, after the 2022 budget reading.
However, the 'okada' riders say the commercial drivers are being hypocritical for asking them to join the protest against the fuel prices.
"In this country, just last year, the commercial drivers' Associations were on record to have said that the government should not regularise okada. They said they want to stand by the side of the law; today, we also want to stand by the side of the law."
"We are a group of people that always come to the frustrated Ghanaians any time there is a crisis. If they go on strike, we will work. We will carry the passengers wherever they want to go and we would ride safer and we will charge lesser," Solomon Akpanaba told Benjamin Akakpo.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has urged drivers not to increase lorry fares.
Government has since the recent hikes in prices announced the suspension of two levies for the next two months, but the unions say this is inadequate.
Latest Stories
-
Ghana’s Constituency Games at a governance crossroads
1 minute -
CSSPS placement results to be released tomorrow – Education Ministry
19 minutes -
His Excellency Professor Yaw Safo Boafo
19 minutes -
NSA Board Dissolution: Olympic, Paralympic representation expected to remain on new board
30 minutes -
When English became the safest Ghanaian language
43 minutes -
Nurses and midwives indispensable to resilient health system – Bawumia
46 minutes -
About 565,000 BECE candidates qualify for SHS placement – CSSPS
47 minutes -
Virtual InfoSec Africa renews partnership with Cyber Security Authority
51 minutes -
TMA is highest authority in Tema, TDC must comply with its regulations — President
1 hour -
Cyanide, unregistered cigarettes hidden under bags of millet, soya beans in major highway bust in Techiman
1 hour -
Security agencies call on civilians to volunteer information to combat crime Â
1 hour -
New maternal units commissioned in North Tongu to improve access to care
1 hour -
Enterprise Insurance reaffirms industry leadership with 4 wins at 6th CIIG
2 hours -
GES release national harmonised prospectus for 2026/27 SHS admissions
2 hours -
Presidency orders TMA, TDC to end dispute over Tema development authority
2 hours