Petrol Price Drops Dramatically
Audrey Micah, Ghanadot

Accra, Dec 12, Ghanadot - The Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Mr. John Attafuah has declared a reduction of 17.17 percent of petroleum prices in Ghana. A gallon of petrol according to him will now be sold at GH¢3.15.

He clarified that the huge reduction is a result of several complains his outfit has received from transport owners and “that the minimal reduction strategy that we had adopted was not enough to give them room to adjust their fares. So after meeting with them, we said that it is necessary that we did it in a bigger jump to allow them to also effect the reduction in their fares so that it will impact on the traveling public.” He concluded.

According to him, the previous price reduction in petroleum prices in November were between eight and thirteen percent, however transport fares remained unchanged as transport owners ignored several entreaties, and even warnings to reduce fares.

Mr. Attafuah dismissed any political motivation for the reduction and insisted that the move is to halt the unwillingness of transport owners to reduce fares because the reduction was usually flimsy.

“We started reducing prices before anybody talked about it. Remember we used to do it on a regular basis and when it hit 147, we did not go to 147 and nobody said they would have gone to 147 when it went to 147. We have tried to stay away from the discussion relating to the population and just done our work as the figures dictate.

“It is possible that some people would allude to this and say that maybe they caused it or not caused it but when we were doing the earlier reductions, starting in mid-October to now, it had not been because anybody had caused it, but because the transporters had refused, always bringing up the argument that the drop was not high enough. Then we said ok, let’s do something substantial so that they would not have any cause to refuse to come down. And that is why it is being done now.

“And it’s also the end of our cycle, our cycle is two weeks, the two weeks would be ending today. Monday new prices should have come but then we needed to do this so that they would have the opportunity to also adjust and not say that we took them by surprise.”

Mr. Attafuah maintained that they expect transport fares to be reduced latest by Monday since the Ministry of Transportation and the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council have been communicated to on the price reductions.

Ghanadot