Where is CJA? – Minority leader quizzes

The Minority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has questioned the deafening silence of the Committee for Joint Action (CJA) while the current government increases prices of products with impunity.

He said the CJA, made up of some members of the present government and loud-mouthed members of civil society, went on countless demonstrations when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was in government, constantly calling on the then administration to reduce fuel prices drastically, even though world market price of fuel at the time was $147 per barrel.

“All of a sudden, the CJA members have lost their voices under this government while the government drastically increases fuel prices, even though price of crude oil is almost at all-time low – below $50,” he said.

The minority leader lampooned the CJA members at a press conference yesterday.

He said the pressure group, at the time of the NPP regime, argued that taxes on petroleum products were high and should therefore be reduced. Members of the group, who were leaders of the then opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), promised to reduce the prices of petroleum products drastically when they assumed power.

“Six years down the road, many of the CJA demonstrators are ministers of state or apologists and cheer leaders of this government and they have forgotten all their pledges to the Ghanaian people,” he said, adding that NDC leaders and their praise singers had shown clearly that they do not care for the ordinary people of Ghana and should not be trusted again.

“In 2008, the price of a litre of kerosene which is largely used in the rural areas, was 70Gp and at the time it represented 31% of the daily minimum wage but the NDC people said the price was too expensive,” he said, claiming that in the 2015 budget a litre of kerosene had increased to GH¢3.23 representing 53.8% of the daily minimum wage.

He said the introduction of additional special tax of 17.5% on petroleum products would further pile more hardships on many suffering Ghanaians.