He said Ghanaians have once again been slapped with another increase in pump prices of fuel by the insensitive and clueless Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration.
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Fuel price increment: Gov't has shown to be callous - Sammy Gyamfi
The high and unbearable cost of living that Ghanaians are experiencing under the watch of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia which has been largely been occasioned by steep increases in the prices of petroleum products has shown that the government is callous and does not appear a give a hoot about the plight of Ghanaians, Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi has said.
Nana Addo and Mahamudu Bawumia
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His reactions come after the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) increased fuel prices at least 7% at the pumps on Saturday, October 16, 2021, and this is the ninth consecutive time in the year the prices of petroleum products have gone up.
This has increased the price per gallon of diesel and petrol from about GH¢21 as of January this year, to about GH¢31.
Sammy Gyamfi speaking on the increment called on the government to reduce fuel prices.
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He described the recent surge in the prices of petroleum products at the pumps as unacceptable and also called on the government to scrap the recent increase in the Energy Sector Levies.
According to him, "the rampant and persistent increase in the prices of fuel products we have witnessed under the watch of President Akufo-Addo and his deceptive Vice Dr. Bawumia, are a direct product of their insensitive and bad leadership."
Addressing the press, he said "The introduction of these regressive and draconian taxes by a group of people who berated the erstwhile Mahama regime for "over-taxing" Ghanaians and a group who promised to move Ghana from taxation to production when elected, smacks of deception and insensitivity of monumental proportions.
"The cascading effect of these draconian tax measures has among other things, led to an escalation in the prices of fuel products, transport fares, building materials, food products and other commodities on the market, without a commensurate increase in incomes, thereby making the cost of living unbearable for the vast majority of Ghanaians. This is the cause of the excruciating economic hardships Ghanaians are currently experiencing."
Giving details of expensive goods on the market, Sammy Gyamfi said "with a focus on the prices of building materials reveals a very worrying trend that is of major concern to many Ghanaians. A 50kg bag of cement that was sold at GH¢27 in the year 2016, is being sold at GH¢52 and in some cases above this price today. A tonne of iron rods (16mm) that was sold at about GH¢2,800 in 2016 is today going for GH¢300, while a packet of aluminum roofing sheet that was sold at about GHc520 in 2016 is being sold at about GH¢1,200 today. Similarly, PVC pipes (20mm) that used to sell at about GH¢3 in 2016 are today being sold at GH¢8. Electrical Cables (Cable metal - 16mm) that used to sell at GH¢700 in 2016, is today selling at GH¢1,553 while the 1.5mm Cable metal, which used to sell at GH¢78 is today selling at GH¢167.
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NDC Communications officer, Sammy Gyamfi
Pulse Ghana
"The situation is even direr in the case of food products, where a bag of maize that used to sell at GH¢170 in 2016, is today selling at GH¢450 while a cup of Beans that used to sell at GH¢1.50 is selling at GH¢5 today. Also, an "Olankor" of Gari that used to sell at GH¢5 in 2016 is today selling at GH¢12, while a bucket of onion that used to sell at GH¢15 in 2016 is selling at GH¢40 currently.
"Also, a bag of sachet water that used to sell at GHc1.50 in 2016 is today selling at GH¢4 while a sack of "konkonte" that was sold at GHc200.00 in 2016 is being sold today at GH¢600. Again, a pound of cow meat that was sold at GH¢9 in 2016 is today being sold at GH¢17, while one chicken (broiler) that used to sell at GH¢35 is today selling at GH¢70 cedis.
"Additionally, a bottle of Frytol Oil that used to sell at GH¢130 in 2016 is today selling at GH¢285. Similarly, a crate of eggs that used to sell at GH¢12 in 2016 is today selling at GH¢26 just to mention a few. This picture looks scary for many Ghanaian families and households, as it has become a constant struggle for many to afford three (3) square meals a day."
"The reality is that "kromAyeshe"! Times are very tough, the system is hard and pockets are dry. Car owners are suffering; Taxi drivers are suffering; "Trotro" drivers are suffering; "Trotro Mates" are suffering; Uber drivers are suffering; Bus drivers are suffering; passengers are suffering, And Ghanaians, in general, are suffering. Sadly, the state of economic hardships and hopelessness in the country keeps worsening by the day with no end in sight- all as a result of the insensitive policies and bad leadership of the deceptive Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-NPP government.
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"The question we would want to ask President Akufo-Addo and his "419" Vice President, Dr. Bawumia is; what has happened to their much-touted promise to move Ghana from taxation to production when elected? What has happened to their campaign rhetoric that Ghanaians were being over-taxed by the NDC/Mahama administration and their promise to develop Ghana through tax incentives?
"It bears reminding ourselves that in the run-up to the 2016 general elections, these masters of political chicanery, President Akufo-Addo himself, ably assisted by his jocular "419" Vice, Dr. Bawumia, told Ghanaians in the Akan language that: "Yete Sika nso ekom de y3", to wit, Ghanaians were sitting on money, yet we were starving. Now, the question we ought to be asking is, where is the money they claimed we were sitting on?" he asked.
He stated that Ghana's economy is in shambles adding that the currency continues to depreciate at an alarming rate against all the major international currencies, while the government continues to cook fictitious economic figures ostensibly to paint a different picture.
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