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| Asaga demands reversal of fuel price hike |
10/5/2005 |
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The Minority spokesperson on finance and Member of Parliament for the Nabdam Constituency says the fuel price hike by the government from ¢30,500 to ¢32,000 is unjustified and is calling on the government to revert it to its previous price.
Moses Asaga says there is no justification in the increase since the price is loaded with a lot of government taxes.
“The government should be in a position to revert the price to the previous price. The increase has already triggered increase in lorry fares. The increase is very serious and must be condemned,” he said.
According to him the recently announced petroleum prices, beside manifesting that the government has run out of ideas in running the economy, would increase the already harsh economic conditions the broad masses are already grappling with.
He told the Chronicle on Tuesday that it was unfortunate that the government has embarked on an economic policy, which, he said was very dangerous for a fragile economy like Ghana’s.
“This fuel tax economic management, which allows for an increase in fuel prices, has no human face. It reduces disposal income and is a disincentive to savings. The level of increase in the fuel prices will kill the industry and the private sector, which are key to development,” he said.
He lashed out at the New Patriotic Party -NPP, for condemning the National Democratic Congress -NDC, then in government, for increasing petrol price to ¢6,000, describing it as “wicked and outrageous.”
The NDC legislator said it would be untenable for the minority to keep quiet on matters arising irrespective of attacks they would receive from the propagandists of the NPP government.
Advancing his argument further, he said, “Already, the cost of living is very hard. People cannot afford three square meals a day. The government has rather worsened the unemployment problem through its disingenuous policies and the unbridled increases in fuel prices can attest to this fact.”
In response to what might have warranted the increase, Mr. Asaga said, “We believe that the government has no idea or clue of how to manage and subsidize the fuel price. We believe also that it is possible to reduce the price to ease the burden of the already suffering Ghanaians.”
On whether the increase could be ascribed to means of kowtowing to the IMF’s conditionalities, the lawmaker asserted that, “The government’s latest announcement can be seen that the IMF is still controlling our economy and therefore the boast by President, Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor that Ghana is weaning itself from the IMF was a mirage and cannot be a achieved by this government.”
On what the NDC would have done if it were to be in power with respect to fuel prices internationally, the MP said the NDC would educate the masses about the justification of any increment and calculate the factors that might contribute to it.
Source: Ghanaian Chronicle.
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