(Minority expresses concern about fuel price increase

Page 15, Nov 13, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Minority in Parliament has expressed concern over the recent increases in fuel prices and noted that the Mills government is leading the country to a level of petroleum prices that Ghanaians cannot afford if the world price of crude oil continues to rise.
“We demand from the government of Prof Mills the promises he made — a drastic reduction in petroleum prices,” it said.
Addressing a press conference in Parliament yesterday, the Deputy Ranking Member for Energy, Mr Kwame Amporfo Twumasi, noted that as if the suffering of Ghanaians as a result of the 30 per cent increase in petroleum prices four months ago was not enough, it was sad that the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) had increased fuel prices by five per cent recently.
He said the explanation by the government that it could not deliver on its promise to drastically reduce fuel prices due to the debt at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) was untenable, since TOR was in debt when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration took over in 2001.
“Prof Mills stated for the record, when crude prices hovered around $65 per barrel, that if voted into power, his government would sell petrol at GH¢2.80 per gallon. What has happened to the promise?” he questioned.
Mr Twumasi, who is also the Member of Parliament for Nkoranza South, said the state of the economy currently was a clear replay of what pertained before 2001.
He also questioned the credibility of some companies which had surfaced in the supply of or attempt to supply both crude oil and refined petroleum products to Ghana under the Mills administration.
He said there was evidence to suggest that some of those companies had been hurriedly formed by some leading members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in an attempt to cash in on the importation of petroleum products, while Ghanaians continued to suffer high prices and little supply of petroleum products.
“The NDC is thus placing private commercial interest over national welfare and we ask that President Mills take immediate action to bring a stop to this,” he said.
Mr Twumasi also expressed concern over the fast declining image of the country as investor friendly due to the inhumane treatment meted out to certain individuals who partnered KOSMOS Energy to discover the country’s oil.
He explained that one Mr George Owusu had been extensively investigated by the law enforcement agencies, including the conduct of surprise searches in his house, offices and the going through of his computer and hard drive and personal accounts.
The MP added that it was worrisome that the Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNPC) was compelling KOSMOS to sell its stake to companies of the GNPC’s choice, as against companies that were known to have the clout that would make Ghana a top-class oil and gas producer at the world level.