The leadership of the People’s National Convention (PNC) have observed with great disquiet, the recent increases in tariffs and petroleum prices.
These paradoxical increases happened at a time when economies are enjoying respite due to reduction in world crude oil prices. These increases, constitute a climax of government’s insensitivity to the Ghanaian people.
There is no gainsaying that, these cruel increases have dire implications on the social and economic lives of our people.
Energy is a major factor input in many production processes, therefore an increase such as that which we have witnessed recently, tends to raise the cost of production. Consequently, consumers are made to pay more for goods and services.
Recognizing that real incomes in the country continue to suffer a downward spiral, these increases are nothing less than insensitivity in the superlative. It must be noted that, the effects of the hikes in petroleum prices are beginning to manifest.
On Sunday, the Ghana Private Road and Transport Union (GPRTU) came out with an upward review of their fares up to 15%. The implication is that, the already overburdened Ghanaian is now going to pay higher for transportation.
It is imperative to mention that, as fares increase, prices of goods and services equally will rise leading to higher inflation, higher cost of living and lower incentive to work. The net effect, is curtailment of productivity or output and further impoverishment of Ghanaians.
We in the PNC, find it difficult to understand why government has elected deliberately, to punish Ghanaians for their own incompetence and management failings. After mismanaging the country’s resources through corruption and irrational expenditures, the Mahama led administration seems now to be possessed by “the spirit of over taxation”.
So that, at every turn, government is sniffing for openings to squeeze all kinds of taxes from Ghanaians. This attitude is what has accounted for the recent unfortunate petroleum price hikes and the resultant increases in sachet water price and transport fares.
Ghanaians have suffered and continue to suffer job losses on daily basis because of rising cost of doing business under the NDC government. This latest lugubrious increase in fares only contributes to worsening the situation.
A party that promised to “care for you” is now by all accounts, “caring less about you”. It does not care what happens to your wellbeing when transport fares rise and therefore, will instigate higher petroleum prices without any critical thought at the slightest opportunity.
Culpability for the increase in transport fares should be placed squarely on the NDC government and not the GPRTU. What is even more appalling, is the tokenistic response by government to reduce fuel prices by 2%. What is even more objectionable, is the basis for this reduction.
If reduction in world crude prices is what has inspired this reduction, then government had no business increasing the prices in the first instance as world crude prices were plummeting at record speed.
We wish to emphasize that, this state of affairs should not be allowed and should not be accepted. To this end, we invite organized labour, civil society organizations and ordinary Ghanaians to join us in exerting more pressure on government to lower drastically or remove entirely, the taxes on petroleum that have culminated in the higher transport fares.
In the midst of all these bubbles of hardship, we are encouraged by the singular fact that, Ghanaians now have an opportunity to end this cycle by choosing that political alternative which promises them a new beginning, new deal, new hope.
We have a great country, the PNC and Dr. Edward Mahama will make it greater.
<<Print>>