Energy Minister, Boakye Agarko
The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers – Ghana, CPC, has called on the government to sack the energy minister with immediate effect.
According to the group, Ghanaians have had to grapple with the persistent increase in fuel price over the past months with virtually no solution in sight as pump prices continue to go up by the day amidst [ads1]denials from the Energy Ministry.
In a press release, CPC said this trend makes one wonder if the ministry is putting any pragmatic measures to stop the trend. According to the release, the National Petroleum Authority had earlier in the month indicated that fuel prices to remain stable but the country has started recording increase at the pumps from January 4.
It stated that fuel prices across some fuel pumps have seen an average adjustment of 4% because the fuel that used to be sold at 4.490 per liter, is now being sold at 4.760 per liter at some pumps. It said “the denial by the energy minister is an indication that of him losing complete touch with the stark realities on the ground”
CPC revealed that “the impending increases in transport fares by the GPRTU is indeed an indication of pretty difficult times ahead as the outlook for 2018 gives no indication of global prices dropping anywhere below the $40 per barrel as the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko is suggesting.”
It called on the government to listen to the cry by many Ghanaians for some interventions to halt the worrying trend. It urged government” to take an urgent look at the current price build up in use as we believe these increases will likely continue for a very long time if nothing is done about the pricing template”