The Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) has called on government to immediately reverse or review fuel price hikes.
According to the Head of CPA, Mr Kofi Kapito, high levels of corruption will hit the country due to the fact that the ordinary Ghanaian would not be able to cope with the hardship when the hikes begin to reflect on consumables.
He said although government is in the process of increasing its tax revenue to meet current economic demands, the recent increases in petrol and utilities were not the best solution, and must not be an option.
Mr Kapito noted that even in other countries where there are genuine options for citizens when prices of commodities go up as a result of petrol price increase, the citizens find dubious means to survive when they cannot meet the heavy taxes imposed on them, noting that the situation in Ghana is not going to be an exception.
“This is the burden the new levies impose on petroleum consumers as a result of government’s negligence,” he lamented.
He was of the view that the government should have involved the citizenry in its decision to increase fuel prices, adding it would have given the citizenry a better understanding on the outcome and decide whether to accept the decision or not.
“We are not asking the government not to tax the people, but it should be realistic in order not to overburden the ordinary citizens,” he stressed.
He reiterated that government should take a cursory look at the recent development in order to spare Ghanaians such economic burdens.
However, he suggested that the government should have made available, and in abundance, Metro Mass buses as a first step to making transports cheaper and convenient for the people before the increments.
About the next line of action if government fails to listen to the outcry by Ghanaians, he said, “We would have to show them we cannot sit and watch these things happen without protest.
“I will be hitting the streets and it would be good to have all those who are not happy with the situation join me.”
<<Print>>