Energy expert and former Chief Executive of the Volta River Authority has vowed to challenge in court, any increase in petroleum prices unless government produces figures to back up its claim of subsidizing fuel prices.
According to Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby, government has never subsidized fuel and therefore has no justification for raising prices on the premise it could no longer subsidise fuel prices.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show on Tuesday February 12, Dr Wereko-Brobby said rather, government places an additional charge on the price of gasoline and these extra funds are used to subsidise the price of kerosene and other products consumed by the poorest in the country. Thus, in his opinion, it would be wrong to say that is a government subsidy.
“If it is 100, they add 20 and such money is used to reduce the cost of kerosene and the rest. Government does not subsidise anything. I’m challenging them to bring the figures to show how they are subsidizing it” he declared.
“NPA [National Petroleum Authority] is not telling the truth. They are lying. I know the calculations that go into the fixing of prices; they cannot claim government is subsidizing fuel. I’m daring them to bring the figures to show by how much they are subsidizing. I will challenge any increase in court unless they provide the figures to show by how much they are subsidizing.”
The National Petroleum Authority regulates prices of petroleum products on behalf of government.
While confirming that such a practice was in place, the Public Relations Officer of the authority, Yaro Kasamba insisted that adding a bit to the price of gasoline was just a part of the entire subsidy pot.
Government, he maintained, still absorbed part of the cost of ensuring that consumers obtained petroleum products, from the importing stage through the point of consumption.
“Dr Wereko-Brobby is correct, but that is just one aspect of the subsidy,” he revealed on Dwaso Nsem.
He pledged to make the figures on the extent of government’s subsidy if he gets the go-ahead from his bosses at the NPA.
“The issue of transparency is not a problem. We’ll publish it (figures on government subsidy) after consultations with my bosses at the authority.”
Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby