Director of Communications of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has called on the Mahama administration to take measures to cushion Ghanaians against the imminent increase in fuel prices.
He made the point that the prices of fuel would certainly go up due to the Middle East conflict.
Speaking on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, March 7, he said that “the cocoa farmers will be impoverished given the impact of fuel prices, which is imminent.
“The cost of fuel is going to go up, so the government must take some measures to cushion Ghanaians espceially cocoa farmers whose earnings have been slashed.”
Ahiagbah further called on the government to abolish the fuel levy.
Private legal practitioner Kofi Bentil said that whether the prices of fuel in Ghana will go up or not in view of the Middle East crisis depends on government policy.
He said that the government can choose to absorb it or pass it on to Ghanaians.
“Would the prices go up or not? The government can choose to absorb it or pass it on to Ghanaians. Whether prices of fuel in Ghana will go up or not depends on government policy,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, March 7.
He stressed, “The government must tell us whether they will pass on the global petroleum price hikes to Ghanaian consumers or if they intend to cushion us. The intention today can be determined. We should know that intention.”
For his part, the CEO of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, said that he prays that the egos of the players in the Middle East crisis would come down for the issues to be settled.
He appealed to the President of the United States, Donald Trump, to consider the broader impact of the war on global economies and allow the matter to be settled.
“[We pray] that the egos in the Middle East would come down a little bit,” he also said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, March 7.
He added, “President Trump should look at the global impact of this war.”
Godwin Edudzi Tameklo further said that the government is working to ensure that the crisis does not affect Ghana severely.
He says the sector Minister, Dr John Jinapor, has convened a meeting of stakeholders in the energy sector on this issue.
Similarly, he said, the NPA is in constant touch with its foreign counterparts.
“We are not leaving anything to chance. We have a proactive sector minister, national security architecture and the president to over see everuthing,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, March 7.
He added, “What we are doing is also continuing to monitor and engage our counterparts outside the country.”
The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, has convened a high-level meeting with key stakeholders across Ghana’s petroleum upstream and downstream sectors to assess the potential impact of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East on the country’s fuel security.
A statement issued by the spokesperson and Director of Communications, Rickom Rockson, said that discussions focused on heightened global oil market volatility, potential supply chain disruptions, freight cost fluctuations, and the possible implications for domestic pricing and consumer welfare.
Dr. Jinapor underscored the need to be proactive to safeguarding Ghana’s energy supply reliability. He emphasized that contingency measures are being reviewed and strengthened to minimise any potential adverse effects on the country arising from the current geopolitical tensions.
The Minister directed the National Petroleum Authority, as the downstream sector regulator, to intensify its market surveillance and continue close coordination with industry stakeholders to ensure that anticipated supply disruptions are mitigated swiftly and effectively.
He further charged all sector agencies to maintain adequate strategic fuel stocks, enhance monitoring of international developments, and ensure stable nationwide distribution.
“Government assures the public that it remains fully committed to protecting Ghana’s energy supply security. All necessary measures are been explored to ensure sustained fuel availability and to mitigate undue hardship on consumers.
“The Ministry will continue to monitor developments closely and provide timely updates as the situation evolves,” the statement said.
