Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealer Denies Price Hike Claims by Trotro Drivers

• A spare parts dealer debunked claims that Abossey Okai traders had inflated prices despite purchasing stock before the cedi’s recovery
• He disclosed that his items before the dollar drop had also been discounted, citing fairness and the need to support everyday Ghanaians
• He urged fairness from all sides, noting that if the government was helping to stabilise the economy, traders should ease consumer pressure

An automobile spare parts dealer has spoken out on behalf of his colleagues after commercial drivers claimed they were unwilling to lower the prices of their services.

YEN.com.gh had earlier reported on passengers being sent back to the station by a trotro driver who disagreed with the Ghana Private Road Transport Union's directives.

Alhaji Sumaila Boakye, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the GPRTU, had directed all commercial drivers under the union to implement a 15% reduction in transport fares. However, some of these drivers claimed they could not follow such a directive because of the high cost of purchasing spare parts.

To dig deeper into the price control issue, a spare parts dealer was interviewed. The dealer, situated around Abossey Okai, a neighbourhood in Ghana, was questioned on why he and his colleagues in the business have refused to reduce the price of their goods, according to drivers.

The businessman immediately refuted the claims, saying that many of his peers, including himself, have reduced the price of their inventories. He disclosed that he had additionally reduced the price of goods he had purchased even before the reduction of the dollar to the Ghanaian cedi.

"What are they saying, it is not true. Although we purchased the items before the dollar reduction, we have also lowered the price. The majority of Abossey Okai members have also reduced the price.

"I'm saying if you come here... this Accent alternator, for a 2013/14 model, I was formerly selling it for GH₵1000. But now, talking to you, it's GH₵800; sometimes, I accept GH₵750 for it.

"As for me, I have gone to buy at a reduced cost from my supplier. But those who are going to buy it and use it, they are the ones who can confirm, or they have confirmed that yes, really, the price has been reduced."

Spare parts seller calls out trotro drivers

The spare parts dealer also commented on how some of his peers had purchased their goods at a high rate from the international market.

He acknowledged that opinions on the matter would vary, noting that this was a fundamental aspect of a democracy.

"But from my observation, for the majority of members, because, you see, when you buy something and the dollar rate reaches a point where it will surely come down, then the profit you were expecting to get - assuming you were expecting GH₵1000 profit - but because of the reduction, if you get GH₵700 or GH₵800, it's good."

"So if the top people [government] are doing their best, and we businessmen don't do what we are supposed to do or reduce prices a bit, the final consumers will be affected. So that is how it is."

The video of the spare parts dealer debunking drivers' claims is below.

Ghanaians have reacted to this disclosure by the spare parts dealer. YEN.com.gh has compiled some of their comments below:

@I_Am_Sayuti commented:

"This is a business-oriented approach, kudos to this man."

@leroipapsi agreed:

"We need more citizens thinking the way he does"

@PromzyKingston wrote:

"At least some wise men Dey Ghana"

Abossey Okai traders cut prices over dollar-cedi

YEN.com.gh reported earlier that Nigerian traders at the Abossey Okai spare parts market in Accra cut the prices of their goods after the fall of the dollar against the Ghanaian cedi.

However, the same thing could not be said of their Ghanaian counterparts, who had reportedly refused the price reduction suggestion because they had not finished selling old stock.

Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh