“This is the time to cushion the Ghanaian” – NPPs George Ayisi tells Gov’t

A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)’s Communication team, Mr George Ayisi has called on government to cushion Ghanaians in the wake of the current economic crisis.

Speaking on Pan African TV’s Good Morning Africa on Friday, November 4, monitored by GhanaPlus.com, he said it is important government steps in and provide some support in terms of subsides and others to bring some respite to the suffering Ghanaians.

“I have admitted elsewhere that we need to look at it. This is the time to cushion the Ghanaian a little, in terms of the subsides, whatever. It is important”.  

Mr Ayisi said government cannot push all the burden on Ghanaians since that will leave them in much more distress.

“We can’t be pushing everything thing to the Ghanaian. The people will crash”.

The ruling party communicator said supporting the citizenry in times like this is “That is what government is about,”

Minority ask government to intervene in fuel hikes

He was seconding calls by the Minority in Parliament for government to cushion Ghanaians following the incessant increment of petroleum products in the country.

Diesel is selling at GH¢23 from GH¢18 while petrol is selling at GH¢19 from GH¢15 in the latest pricing window effective from Tuesday, November 8.

But the Minority is of the view; government can do more for Ghanaians.

“We therefore, call on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, that they should do something about this price increment. They should sit up and think outside the box and apply this huge supernormal profit to cushion the ordinary Ghanaian.

“We hold the view that government can do something about the fuel price increment. Government must sit up and cushion the Ghanaian from this price volatility. The people of Ghana are suffering and something must be done,” Minority Spokesperson on Energy, John Abdulai Jinapor, told the press in Parliament in Accra on Thursday, November 4.

“This government is making money from the Russia-Ukraine war. In the 2022 budget, government projected that it would earn a total amount of GH¢6 billion but today as we speak, in the PIAC report, in less than three months, government has received over GH¢8 billion from our petroleum resources. So in three months, government has received more than it received for the whole year.

“Even the price stabilization and recovery levy, which is supposed to subsidize fuel, government projected in the first two quarters that it would rake in GH¢269 million. As we speak, from the Ministry of Finance’s own records, government has received about GH¢800 million,” Mr Jinapor, MP, Yapei-Kusawgu, stated.

“So this notion that government is not making revenue is a fallacy and a complete falsehood. Government is making so much from petroleum resources and should use the windfall to cushion the suffering Ghanaian,” the Minority added.

Source: GhanaPlus.com