Drivers in Kumasi, Ghana, are calling on the government to introduce price controls for goods, citing the recent 8% adjustment in transport fares. They argue that while transport fares are regulated, traders have the freedom to set their own prices without oversight. The drivers described traders as the real "Kalabule" people, a term used to describe exploitative profiteers. They claim that traders arbitrarily inflate prices without justification, worsening the plight of ordinary Ghanaians.
The drivers, operating under registered transport unions in Kumasi, argue that they are often blamed for increases in goods and services prices when fares are adjusted. However, they claim that traders are largely responsible for the arbitrary price hikes. According to the drivers, the lack of price regulation in the trading sector is a major driver of the high cost of living. They are appealing to the government to establish a price control mechanism to regulate goods prices and protect consumers.
Some petty traders in Kumasi sided with the concerns raised by the drivers. They acknowledged that some traders increase prices anyhow, but noted that they face challenges, including high import duties, rent, and wholesale prices. A trader at Kejetia Market stated that price control would help bring sanity into the market and ensure uniform prices. Another trader added that it would help all traders, as everyone would be selling at the same price, reducing confusion and misunderstanding with customers.
The drivers and traders warned that if nothing is done to check unregulated pricing by traders, efforts to stabilize the economy would be undermined. They urged Ghanaians to stop blaming transport operators for the high cost of goods and services, stressing that traders are largely responsible. The drivers also noted that even when fuel prices and fares are reduced, traders fail to reduce their prices, further worsening the situation.
According to the drivers, transport operators are not entirely responsible for the high cost of living. They argued that the government should focus on regulating traders' prices, rather than solely relying on transport operators to adjust fares. The drivers also called on the government to engage with traders and find a solution to the issue.
The issue of price control has sparked public debate, with some calling for the government to intervene. The Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council recently announced an 8% adjustment in transport fares, which has led to increased scrutiny of traders' pricing practices. The drivers and traders are urging the government to take action to regulate goods prices and bring relief to ordinary Ghanaians.
The government has not yet responded to the drivers' and traders' calls for price control. However, the issue is expected to continue to be a topic of discussion in the coming days. The drivers and traders are hopeful that the government will take their concerns seriously and work towards finding a solution to the problem of unregulated pricing by traders.
Key points
- Drivers in Kumasi are demanding that the government introduce price controls for goods to regulate traders' prices.
- Traders in Kumasi have acknowledged that some traders increase prices anyhow, but noted that they face challenges, including high import duties and wholesale prices.
- The lack of price regulation in the trading sector is a major driver of the high cost of living in Ghana.
