Managing Director of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Junior, has stated that he agrees with a decision by driver unions in the country to embark on a nationwide strike if the government fails to reduce fuel prices.
He said the current government promised to reduce petroleum prices as part of its promises during their 2016 election campaign and so he sees the sense in the recent increase in petroleum prices.
“This government, the government in power, promised to reduce petroleum prices. They said that it was insensitive to be increasing petroleum prices. I also recall Dr Mahamudu Bawumia raving and angry that it also takes an insensitive government to be increasing fuel prices,” he said.
Kwesi Pratt said government has made it known to the people that they know what it takes to reduce fuel prices in the country so he is in support of the decision that has been taken by GPRTU to embark on a nationwide sit down strike if fuel prices are not reduced.
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Speaking on Good Morning Ghana on Wednesday, November 10, 2021, Kwesi Pratt indicated that an increase in fuel prices adversely affects every individual in the country.
“Increases in fuel prices have a ripple effect on the economy. So when you increase petroleum prices, it affects everybody,” he said.
The Managing Director of the Insight newspaper stated that more than 50 per cent of the price of petroleum is made up of taxes.
"The last time we did the calculation, if we take the pump price of petrol, more than 50 percent of that is made up of taxes. So why should we load all the taxes on petroleum?“ he said.
Kwesi Pratt indicated that petroleum prices in the country is currently at its highest so government should meet the demands of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and other driver unions.