<<Print>>

The Vice President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama has pleaded with Ghanaians to bear with the NDC government on the recent fuel hikes. He said Ghanaians must understand that there are times governments need to take tough decisions in order to save the national economy. The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) announced on December 28 that prices of petroleum products will go up between 15 and 20 percent effective Thursday December 29. The 20 percent hike in fuel prices according to the NPA, was influenced by government�s decision to withdraw subsidies on the products from 2012. A section of Ghanaians have called on government to reduce the fuel prices since the increment will only over burden Ghanaians. A former deputy Energy Minister and NPP MP for Asokwa, K. T Hammond has called for a reduction in the fuel prices describing the increment as �criminal and thievery�. However, speaking to the parliamentary press corps on Friday, the Vice President said the hikes would help the government save enough money for other infrastructural developments of the country. �In government you have to take hard decisions, they might not be unpopular with the people but that is why you were elected�you have to decide what is in the best interest of the people and I think that this is in the best interest of the people. �It is a tough decision but governments are there to take tough decisions and I am sure that Ghanaians would understand the reasons why we have done that�.