The Traders Advocacy Group Ghana (TAGG) has demanded that the government immediately reduce import duties on commercial vehicles by 50%, citing high taxes and restrictive fiscal policies as key drivers of the worsening vehicle shortage crippling the country’s transport sector.
TAGG argues that excessive levies have crippled private operators’ ability to replace aging fleets or expand operations, resulting in acute shortages of commercial transport especially in urban hubs.
The group’s statement emphasizes that soaring import costs for buses and trucks discourage reinvestment, exacerbated by supply chain bottlenecks for spare parts.
Public systems like the Ayalolo Bus Rapid Transit fall short of commuter needs, piling pressure on cash-strapped private providers.
This crisis fuels irregular fare hikes, passenger exploitation, and chronic delays that disrupt traders and workers reliant on reliable mobility.
TAGG has petitioned President John Dramani Mahama, the Minister for Transport, and Parliament’s Select Committee on Transport for urgent action: duty waivers on commercial vehicle imports and a dedicated spare parts facilitation scheme.
Such measures, they contend, would stabilize fares, ramp up vehicle supply, and restore public transport efficiency.
Unhindered mobility is vital for economic productivity, TAGG cautions, warning that inaction threatens national development and urban commerce.
Story by: Mercy Addai Turkson #ahotoronline.com