From my report last week based on the increment of fares in the country, I took a step further to one of Ghana’s long-serving petroleum station following the advice from the commercial conductor to find out more on the increment of the fares.
On my search for a filling station around the lorry station, I reported from the Ablekuma South constituency in Accra, I chanced on the Goil filling station at Abodwe, a community also in the Ablekuma South constituency. On my arrival, my eyes got this young man attending to a customer. Hayford Adevi, a pop attendant at the Goil filling station.
After he finished with the customer, we exchanged the normal pleasantries and straight away, I went to the gaping question at hand. To my surprise, he willingly agreed to give me the update. He began.
“One thing you must note is, fares increase at the expense of increment of petrol. When the dollar goes high, we use a huge amount of cedis to buy petrol. We get our petroleum from the World Market. That is the place we get our petrol. The price of petrol statically is low at the World Market but becomes expensive when the dollar goes high. Petrol per gallon is GHC21.69P, but I normally estimate it to GHC21.70P. This is calculated base on 1Litre, which is calculated 4.820 x 4.5 which will give you the price of petrol per gallon, which is GHC21.69P. When the price of petrol goes up, everything goes up. “
Quit in-depth info that he gave me, I propped further to know how much they are paid, but he was very discreet about that and rather gave me the allowance they receive every three months, which is GHC150. He wasn’t happy when he told me the amount they are paid as allowance.
So, before fares will up, there need to be an increment in petrol which also comes about when the dollar goes high. But my question is, can’t our government do anything about it. Let’s get interactive in the comment box.
Andy Oppong Dankyi 