Petrol was GH¢14/gallon under me but now GH¢22 under Akufo-Addo – Mahama

The presidential candidate of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has bemoaned the rise in the price of petrol under the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led administration compared to his administration.

According to Mr Mahama, the country’s economy is “messed up”

The former president was speaking at Kpong in the Eastern Region, on Friday, 6 November 2020.

Addressing the gathering, Mr Mahama said: “In 2016, Gari olanka was GH¢5, today, it’s sold for GH¢20 and here [Kpong], it’s sold for GH¢15. When NDC was in government, petrol was sold for GH¢14.50 pesewas for a gallon; today, it’s sold for GH¢22.”

Mr Mahama also noted that the NPP had plunged the lives of Ghanaians into more difficulty instead of alleviating their suffering, as it had promised.

“So, the promise they made to Ghanaians that they are coming to alleviate the suffering, Ghanaians are now suffering...If you take a look at the economy, they have messed it up, they keep borrowing and borrowing."

“Borrowing is good. We all borrow at a point, but when we borrow money, we use it to work or build or use it for property. Since independence till the time I left office, Ghana’s debt was GH¢122 billion, but this man alone has added GH¢141 billion to Ghana’s debt within years," he said.

“If you had used that loan to build a new hospital or Kpong town roads, we would say you used the money for something. But if you look around, he hasn’t built even one school; no hospitals, he hasn’t constructed any roads, no airports, no markets,” Mr Mahama added.

Mr Mahama’s visit to Kpong forms part of his tour of the Eastern Region.

As part of his 4-day tour of the region, the NDC presidential candidate, on Thursday, 5 November 2020, paid a courtesy call on Otobour Gyan Kwasi II of Aburi and his Council.