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Release
January 24, 2012
NPA LOSES AGAIN! GO AND REDUCE FUEL PRICES, COURT RE-ORDERS!
This morning, an Accra High Court refused an application by
the National Petroleum Authority to stay execution of an
earlier court order to reduce fuel prices by the illegal
price margins disguised
as “ex-refinery differential”.
It may be recalled that on 28th November 2011, an Accra High
Court presided over by His Lordship Patrick Baayeh ordered
the NPA to remove the illegal margins from the prices of
petrol,
kerosene, diesel, LPG and MGL local. The court further
ordered the NPA to publish the total amount collected from
the illegal imposition and pay it into the Consolidated
Fund.
Immediately, the NPA applied for stay of execution of the
judgement. By that application, the NPA was seeking the
permission of the court to continue charging the illegal
margins while it appealed against the judgement.
The plaintiffs, Mr Kwaku Kwarteng (the NPP parliamentary
candidate for Obuasi), Mr Abdul Ganiyu of Tamale and
Development Data filed a counter affidavit praying the Court
to compel the NPA to obey before complain. In other words,
the plaintiffs argued that the NPA should rather obey the
court order before pursuing its appeal. In the unlikely
event that the appeal was
successful, the NPA could re-introduce the margins.
This morning, the High Court, this time presided over by
another judge, His Lordship Peter Dei Ofei upheld the case
of the plaintiffs and refused the application for stay of
execution. An additional cost of GH¢500 was awarded against
the NPA. Thus for the second time, a different judge has
ordered the Authority to reduce fuel prices by the illegal
margins and pay the accumulated amount into the Consolidated
Fund.
Plaintiffs hereby give the NPA up to 12.00 noon tomorrow
Wednesday, 25th January 2012 to announce new fuel prices
minus the illegal margins. If they fail to do this, we shall
cite
individually and jointly the members of the NPA governing
board for contempt of court.
Counsel for plaintiffs is Lawyer Alex Abban of Accra (0204
688 818 / 0244 988 819).
Juliana Boahemaa
Executive Director
Development Data
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