Deputy Minister of Energy, Mr. Emmanuel Kofi Buah, has lashed out at the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) following criticisms about the recent hike in fuel prices. According to him, the NDC will not allow a group of people (NPP) without credibility to confuse Ghanaians on the fuel prices.
Petroleum products saw a drastic increase in price of 20 to 30 percent on Monday, January 3 but the NPA in a statement has attributed International crude prices, which are currently above 90 dollars a barrel, as basis for the price increases at the pump.
The Minority in Parliament, however, at a Press Conference blasted the John Atta Mills led administration over the recent fuel price hikes, saying the price increases are a direct opposite of a major campaign promise made in the run up to the 2008 general election to drastically reduce fuel prices.
The NPP accused the NDC government of demonstrating incompetence and lack of transparency in the management of the nation’s petroleum sector, adding that the NDC “lied its way to win political power.”
But in a quick rebuttal, the Deputy Energy Minister, in an interview with Shamima Moslem on Citi Eyewitness News, was emphatic that the NPP does not have the credibility to comment on Petroleum matters. According to him, the NPP was economical with the truth regarding issues pertaining to fuel and its prices when they were in government.
“Let me make it clear that the people of Ghana understand that when it comes to credibility on petroleum matters, petroleum prices and who has been very truthful in petroleum matters, the NDC government clearly comes on top,” he stated.
He alleged that NPP is shamelessly creating a scene about increases in fuel prices and TOR levy when in actual fact, they caused the ‘mess’.
“The NPP today is making so much noise, they are not even ashamed of the incredible debt they left this country. Why are we still talking about TOR levy?…These are issues we are trying to address without making noise about it, but everytime the same people who created the mess will not be quiet. They are making so much noise and you can’t help but to find out why we are in the mess in the first place,” he fumed.
“The NPP accrued over 720 million Ghana cedis TOR levy between 2003 and 2008 and they did not apply a penny to the debt but they keep making arguments about the numbers. When you leave 1.5 billion Ghana cedis with 20% interest and you don’t pay a dime out of it; it is not a sleeping dog, it grows. So every morning, the number will be different,” he added.
According to him, the NDC government has shown a lot of commitment within its two years in power to settle the TOR Levy by paying an amount of 445 million Ghana cedis of the debt.
He pointed out that the Mills’ administration will not continue to subsidize fuel prices at the expense of providing critical infrastructure, education, health facilities amongst others, adding that the NPP is just trying to confuse the people of Ghana who are already having difficulties accepting the increase in fuel prices.