Some members of the public have currently hit the street to demonstrate over what they say is the continuous increase in fuel prices despite promises made by the government to ensure affordability.
They are doing this to force the government to reduce taxes on petroleum products.
The demonstrators are carrying placards that read, “Stop the galamsaying in our pockets”; “88% taxes is too much”; “Mr President Why?”; “Drivers, Y’anu Yeho”, among others.
Commercial drivers and some consumers of petroleum products have joined in the demonstration to register their displeasure with the persistent increases in the prices of petroleum products.
The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has previously stated that provisions are being made to ensure that prices will remain fairly stable at the pumps.
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However, the prices of petroleum products have continued to soar, with a litre of both petrol and diesel going for GHc4.62 at some major fuel stations.
Executive Director of COPEC, Duncan Amoah, said the government must embark on an “immediate review of the price build up”, whiles calling for a reduction of taxes on petroleum products.
Speaking to Accra-based Citi FM, he said: “We are paying close to $5 in order to be able to get petrol to your tank. That clearly is not helping anything. We understand very well that some of the taxes were introduced as windfall taxes at the time that world market prices had dropped so low and Ghana needed a little more revenue in order to be able to cushion the world market prices that have gone down."
“Today, the same dynamics are not at play. Unfortunately, the taxes that were introduced which should have gone by now, are still all in place. Ghana selling petrol above 20 cedis and it is still going up, it cannot be sustained. We need an immediate review of the price build up. We need some reduction. We need some stability in order to plan our spending on petroleum products in the country.”