If you can’t buy fuel, park your car and pick ‘trotro’ – NDC MP to Ghanaians

National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Ketu North and Chairman of the Finance Committee, James Klutse Avedzi, has told Ghanaians to stop complaining about hikes in fuel prices if they want to see development.

According to him, there is an alternative to consider if prices of petroleum products are too high.

He said if users of private vehicles can’t afford to buy fuel to service their cars due to the introduction of new taxes, nothing stops them from joining ‘trotro’( public transport) to work if they so desire.

“In UK, not everyone has a car. Many use public transport. Even if we charge 30% on fuel and you can’t pay just park your car. Once you want to use your private car, then you have to pay,” he was quoted as saying on Amansan Radio Tuesday morning.

In December 2015, the government introduced a 27% tax increment on fuel prices following the passage of the Energy Sector Levy Bill into an Act by Parliament.

The intent of the Bill, according to government sources was to restructure, renationalize and consolidate energy sector levies to promote the prudent and efficient utilization of proceeds derived from the levies to facilitate sustainable long term investments in the energy sector.

The increase in margin is one of the biggest in recent times.

This, together with hikes in utility tariffs (electricity and water) has angered majority of Ghanaians, with some threatening to hit the streets to demonstrate against the government.

But the Ketu North legislator believes that there could not be any development in the country if the citizenry refuse to pay taxes imposed on them by the government.

To him, once Ghanaians are yearning for development, it is better for them to shut up and pay the taxes.