Reduce petroleum prices now or face our wrath – Group warns

Pressure group Citizens Awake Forum has given the government of Ghana three days to reverse the recent increment of prices on petroleum products or face their wrath.

A statement signed by its Executive Director, Ernest Kojo Smith, says they will embark on a three-day hunger strike if their call is not heeded.

Read statement below

The decision by government to increase petroleum products in the midst of the ongoing energy crisis has triggered the leadership of CAF to appeal to the government to rescind its decision.

How many times does the government want to review prices of petroleum products? Somewhere in May 2015, NPA shot up the prices of petroleum product to 9%. Just in a month interval, the same NPA plans to increase the petroleum products to 15%? No way, we would not allow this to happen.

Interestingly, sometimes, it is funny to hear as stated in the constitution that government is in to serve the people. On the contrary, Ghanaians are the one serving the government which is in total variance to the constitution.

Regrettably, businessmen have been forced to use generators for their businesses for the past 3 years and the cost of buying fuel has adversely affected their businesses as a result of government inability to fix the problem confronting the energy sector and all that the government cares is to increase petroleum products.

As it is comrades, the fuel hikes indicates that government has no plan to end the man made difficulties confronting the ordinary Ghanaian. The government completely disregards the welfare of the citizenry. If not, the government would not subject the citizenry into such humiliation.

In our frustrations, one may be tempted to ask questions about the use of the tax payer’s monies and the revenues accrued to government over the years. Somewhere in 2014, it was reported that government has collected GHc62 billion as revenues to its war chest.

As a group founded on accountability, we dare the government to furnish us with details of payments made to BDCs and all outstanding thereof. The excuses from the government is becoming too much and it is high time that someone is made answerable for entrusting the national pulse.

As we speak, the youth are calling for a mass action against the government and are therefore planning to destabilize the government since the government of the day has recklessly worsen the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian.

Government must act in way that would earn public confidence and demonstrate a character of building a better Ghana for all.

In conclusion, if the government remains adamant on its decision to increase the petroleum products, then CAF would have no choice than to embark on a 3 day hunger striker on the day that the increment would be effective.