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There appears to be an uneasy calm with the recent hike in the prices of petroleum products. That, Weekend Today understands, was the reason some commercial drivers in Accra, the nation’s capital, last Wednesday took to the streets to register their displeasure at the development.

We further understand that the drivers who embarked on the demonstration were members of the True Drivers Union, a joint commercial drivers association. And according to them, the hike in the prices of fuel products was having not only a telling effect on their operations, but more importantly, a huge impact on their daily/weekly incomes.
For that reason, the drivers were calling on the Akufo-Addo administration to urgently address their concern. As it stands now drivers are buying a litre of petrol at GHC22.00. That, they contend, is just too much, looking at the fact that a litre of petrol, was last year sold at GHC16.00.

Perhaps what seems to be irking the drivers most was the government pretending not to have heard of their grievance. According to the Vice Chairman of the True Drivers Union, Yaw Barima, nothing has come out of a petition they sent to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, a couple of months ago.

And that is what these commercial drivers see as baffling! There is a long tradition in this country where an increase in the prices of petroleum products tends to affect goods and services.

Interestingly however, that has not happened yet. This, in a way is good news, especially for consumers. That notwithstanding Weekend Today believes that government needs to seriously look into the concern(s) of the commercial drivers and indeed all drivers.

The fact of the matter is that almost every commercial driver in this country is crying over the fuel price hike because for them, their profitability and the survival of their business rest more on the cost of fuel. And compounding the matter is where they have been restrained from increasing their fares. Obviously, one will not be wrong in saying that the government had not been fair to commercial drivers.

This is the more reason why Weekend Today thinks government needs to urgently address their concern. In our view the concern of the drivers is a legitimate one. How would the drivers break even when they are being compelled to buy fuel at its current price without a corresponding increase in lorry fares?

The Akufo-Addo administration has demonstrated in several instances that it is a listening government and we hope it will act accordingly in this matter!