Petrol Shocker!

*Even CJA is disappointed

*‘Our leaders are giving too much ammo to opposition- NDC man :

THOUGH MANY BELIEVED it was inevitable despite government’s denials and assurances that fuel prices would not go up, the 30 per cent swelling of the cost of a gallon of fuel across board has come as a shocker to Ghanaians, with many expressing reservations over the likely effect the increase could have on the already dire economic situation in the country.

So serious have been the concerns that even the pro-NDC Committee for Joint Action (CJA) which had hitherto gone tactically silent on the petrol pricing after the NDC takeover served notice that its members may hit the street in protest over the decision by government to scrap subsidies on all petroleum products, resulting in the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) increasing prices of petroleum products by 30%.

The CJA is largely made up of members of the ruling NDC party.

Per the decision of the government and the NPA, a litre of petrol now sells at about GHc1.11 while a litre of diesel sells at GHc1.12.

A number of ordinary Ghanaians this paper spoke to expressed serious reservations about the prices increase, with some who said they voted for the ruling party suggesting that increases like these weaken their resolve to take on opposition activists.

“I am NDC but l can tell you that as for this, it is too much. I’m worried about what our leaders are doing. They are giving too much room for the opposition activists to win sympathy with their inconsistency”, said a motor bike riding Anthony Annan, who spoke to this paper.

Annan granted this paper a brief interview after buying two gallons of petrol at GHC10 to fill his motor bike at the Goil Filling Station located on the Anyah-Ablekuma road.

The same money would have left him with some change for shopping if he had bought two gallons of petrol a day earlier, he said.

“You people are the media men. Are you sure our people know what they are doing? My brother, they are misbehaving. Look at the Sports Minister’s case. Now instead of giving us respite they are worsening our case with lights-off and fuel increases. I hope they know what they are doing” noted a taxi driver who said he still has some hope in the ability of the Mills administration to resolve Ghana’s economic problems.

Benjamin Esson, the cab driver, however admitted that he has been worried over a number of false starts by the Mills-led NDC administration.

“We expected an increase but this one is too much. What worries me is the inability of Government to prepare people’s mind before they effected this increase. I think we ought to learn from the NPP on this”, noted a man who described himself as a banker but was unwilling to identify himself to this paper.

All three men spoke to this paper Saturday noon.

Significantly, the pro-NDC CJA, which has a number of the ruling party’s activists as its members, according to one of its spokesmen, Mr. Bernard Mornah, is disappointed with the decision and would immediately meet to decide what action to take.

Interestingly, the spin last Friday by the Deputy Energy Minister, Dr Kwabena Donkor on the Accra-based Citi FM radio station was that the NDC Government, which pledged drastic reduction in fuel prices if elected into office during December’s elections, will only subsidize oil prices if the people of Ghana demand.

The increase in the prices of petroleum products is the second since the NDC was ushered into office on January 7, this year.