The Deputy Minister for Energy, Andrew Eygapa-Mercer has said the opposition National Democratic Congress has no moral right to criticise the governing party on the increase of petroleum prices in the country.
According to him, the decision to increase prices are borne out of measures the NDC cannot deny but rather they chose to accuse the NPP falsely without data.
“I have listen just bit and pieces of the audio but I have had the opportunity to read the press statement that the NDC issued and as usual empty noise without any substance. Because otherwise, then it will have been useful for anybody doing comparative analysis for increases in prices over a certain period go back and set the baseline when they were in government.”
“The prices of commodities at the time in 2008 when they came into government, the prices of goods on the market and benchmark it to when they were exiting in 2016. And then make reference to 2021 then we will have a broad spectrum of data to make the analysis base on these figures,” Mr. Egyapa Mercer said.
The Deputy Energy Minister stated that for good reasons the Petroleum regime was deregulated in the 2015 during the era of the NDC administration.
“Because of the impact of subsidies on our budget, a huge cost has been accumulated that needed to be paid for. So it was necessary going forward for those subsidies to be taken out for a policy for an increment that ensures that we pay for the full cost of the commodity that we consume,” he narrated.
The National Democratic Government has accused the Akufo-Addo Government of lying to Ghanaians about fuel prices whiles in opposition.
The party is demanding an immediate reduction of fuel prices in order to relieve Ghanaians from what they describe as choking hardships the current administration has imposed on the nation.
The Party through its National Communications Officer Sammy Gyamfi, at a press conference held on Monday, October 18 stated, “It will be recalled that a gallon of petrol and diesel was sold at about GHc16 in December, 2016 when the NDC/Mahama administration was leaving office. The NPP-led by their then Presidential Candidate, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo and Vice Presidential Candidate, Dr. Bawumia, lambasted and berated President Mahama for this and promised to scrap some taxes on Petroleum products, particularly the Energy Sector Levies and the Special Petroleum Tax so as to significantly reduce the prices of fuel.”
Furthermore, the NDC noted “that the high increase in the prices of fuel products we have experienced in recent time, is largely as a result of the many draconian taxes and tax increases this government has callously introduced on fuel…Instead of scrapping the ESLA as promised, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-NPP government has collateralized it for a loan which has extended its intended duration from five (5) years to now fifteen (15) years, and increased it by over 20%.”
Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/ Isaac Dzidzoamenu