Ghana: President Akufo-Addo Stops Fuel Increment

BY ANIN AGYEI-

NEW AFRICA DAILY NEWS, Accra- GHANA, RUMOURED fuel price increment by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) at the fuel pumps has been halted through the intervention of the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The NPA had earlier on Monday morning, December 16, 2019, serve notice directing oil marketing companies to effect a 4 pesewa adjustment in the price of fuel.

The development angered a cross-session of Ghanaians notable among them was the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) who issue a threat of legal action against the move by the NPA if the action is not withdrawn.

“We have been informed that the President and the Chief of Staff have all intervened and the increment has been withdrawn,” the leader of COPEC, Mr. Duncan Amoah stated.

Earlier, Mr. Amoah warned, “if by close of today (Monday) we don’t get any confirmation of withdrawal, they will face us in court tomorrow (Tuesday) morning.”

“We cannot allow the illegality to stand. NPA has not suddenly become an authority that imposes taxes and so if you need to increase any margins or levies or taxes that would necessarily have to emerge from the finance minister, it would have to go to Parliament for debate, we will all have to have certain inputs if necessary,” he stated.

Mr. Amoah said NPA don’t just wake up one morning and issue a memo instructing that people should collect more at the pumps because you have decided.

“That clearly is unconstitutional, illegal and we intend to stop this anyway anyhow,” he indicated.

BY ANIN AGYEI, NEW AFRICA DAILY NEWS, AFRICA CORRESPONDENT

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