Following the reversal of the suspension of the Price Stabilisation and Recovery Levy on the price build-up of petroleum products, drivers who are already feeling the pinch of the increments have accused the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) of being insensitive.

In a letter dated April 3, the NPA directed all Oil Marketing Companies and other players to apply 16 pesewas per litre of Petrol, 14 pesewas per litre of Diesel, and 14 Pesewas on every kilogram of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) starting from April 4, 2024.

Although it is unclear what influenced the NPA to revise the suspension of the Price Stabilisation and Recovery Levy, some drivers say they are unaware of the new tariff adjustment.

Speaking to JoyNews on April 4, a driver said “I came here to get fuel and I realised that they’ve increased the fuel by 17 pesewas which is absurd. We didn’t hear anything, we got up, no announcement, nothing and we woke up today to buy fuel and it’s all increased. Now in this country, they don’t tell us anything, they just do anything they want.

“Now it is GH₵13.79, before it was like GH₵13.20. Now they’ve increased everything. We are dying.”

Another driver queried whether the government deliberately wanted to frustrate their efforts to make ends meet.

He said the same litre they previously got for GH₵5 was now more expensive, and frustrating the few Ghanaians who own vehicles.

“The fuel is too high. At first, we buy one litre, GH₵5. Now, a litre is more than GH₵5, it’s too bad. This thing is trying to weaken us.

“How many people can drive? How can the country develop? If the fuel price is good, all other things will come down,”he said.

He added that it was a challenge getting passengers daily, and even when they do, there’s usually more bargaining to bit down the fare.