The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) is warning that the government’s proposed relief measures are nowhere near enough to offset the intense financial pressure facing commercial drivers, who are battling steep increases in spare parts, insurance premiums and vehicle renewal fees—on top of sharp fuel price hikes driven by escalating Middle East tensions.

Deputy PRO Samuel Amoah, speaking on the AM show, said transport operators are experiencing a multi-layered cost crisis that extends far beyond rising global crude prices.

“Spare parts are very high. There has never been any relief,” he said.

“Quality insurance has also been increased, and DVLA taxes have gone up too.”

His remarks come at a time when global crude oil prices have climbed from $86.2 per barrel to $109.23, fuelled by geopolitical conflict and supply risks along critical shipping routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.

The ripple effect has been swift in Ghana: petrol has jumped from GHS 10.46 to GHS 13.30 per litre, while diesel has shot up from GHS 11.42 to GHS 17.10 within just a month.

Amoah also highlighted a surge in operational charges that transport operators must bear. DVLA renewal fees have increased, while penalties for late insurance renewal—previously considered manageable—have now doubled, placing additional burdens on drivers already stretched thin.

According to him, these combined pressures explain why operators are skeptical of government assurances. Though President Mahama has announced a planned review of taxes on petroleum products, Amoah stressed that transport operators need to see immediate, tangible reductions in pump prices before they can hold fares steady.

“We look at what we see at the pump. When we go to the pump, that is what we also use,” he said, suggesting that promises alone would not prevent fare hikes.

The GPRTU is expected to convene a meeting in the coming days to compute possible fare adjustments should government interventions fall short.

Any final decision will require approval from the Ministry of Transport, but the union says the current economic strain leaves little room for delay.

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Middle East conflict raises fuel prices, but local costs worry Ghana drivers more

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