Fuel price increase: Govt deceived Parliament – MP

The Member of Parliament for New Juaben South, Dr. Mark Assibey Yeboah, has accused government of deceiving Parliament and Ghanaians in relation to the 27% increment in fuel prices following the passage of the Energy Sector Levy (ESL) in December.

According to the renowned Economist, he is very surprised that the fuel stations are charging a 27% increase since the hansard on the fuel price increase stated a maximum of 5% and not 27%, adding that Parliamentarians cannot be held responsible.

Hon. Dr. Mark Assibey Yeboah told Accra-based Citi FM,: “We don’t set prices, we can only rely on the information provided us by government. If the Minister lied to parliament, then he lied to the rest of the country because in the hansard, they said categorically that fuel prices were not going to go up more than 5%.”

He added: “We couldn’t have done the calculations. We don’t set prices. We only looked at these levies, what they are intended to do and the purposes they are going to serve. We ask the relevant questions and now government comes with a 27% increase, I don’t think anybody should be blaming us.”