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The National Chairman of Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr. Kwame Kumah is demanding Ghanaians pat them on the back rather than agitations in the face of the 15 percent increment in transport fares.

Stakeholders in the transport sector have finally ushered Ghanaians into the February month with 15 percent increase in transport fares just a month after government slammed the country with fuel price hikes on January 4, 2016.

The new fares take effect from Monday February 1, 2016, according to the Acting General Secretary of the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC), Andrews Kwesi Kwakye.

The various transport unions had been in talks with government over the increment for the past four weeks with some commercial drivers complaining about the delay and its effect on their operations.

The latest increase of between 18 to 30 percent in the prices of petroleum products was occasioned by the passage of the Energy Sector Levy (ESL) by Parliament in December last year.

A gallon of petrol now sells around Ghc15.40 pesewas with diesel going for Ghc14.50 pesewas. The price of LPG has also gone up by about 18 percent.

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) had warned all its members to desist from increasing transport fares until new fares were announced after negotiations.

In recent times, transport fares have remained unchanged despite intermittent marginal reductions in the prices of petroleum products as a result of the implementation of the petroleum deregulation policy.

But commenting on the complains from Ghanaians when the 15 percent increment in transport fares became public, Mr. Kwame Kumah, speaking on Okay Fm’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, asked Ghanaians to thank God, Car Owners and Drivers for being kind to the citizens.

“Ghanaians should give thanks to God, Car Owners and Drivers because they have been kind to them. There is an agreement to increase transport fares whenever there is 10 percent or more increment in fuel prices but for a month, we have had patience with Ghanaians when the fuel prices went up…we deserve to be lauded", he argued.

He dismissed suggestions that drivers are forcing down the new fares down the throat of Ghanaians saying they are not benefiting from the increment in anyway because prices of spare parts, insurance, Road Worthy, Road Tolls and import duties have shot up.