We shouldn’t politicise fuel prices – Kwadwo Poku

Kwadwo Nsafoah Poku, an Energy Analyst and member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has urged Ghanaians to refrain from politicising fuel prices.

On April 16, 2024, several Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) increased fuel prices, marking the second pricing window of the month.

Investigations by Citi News at various OMC outlets showed a notable rise in fuel prices. For example, Goil, a state-owned company, increased the price of petrol from GHȼ14.15 to GHȼ14.99 per litre in the current pricing window, while diesel is now priced at GHȼ14.80 per litre, up from GHȼ14.74.

During his appearance on The Big Issue on Citi TV on Saturday, Mr. Poku suggested that politicians are likely to politicize fuel prices, but he argued against such a practice.

He pointed out that regardless of the government in power, there is little that can be done due to the global factors influencing the prices.

“I have always entreated everybody that we shouldn’t play politics with petroleum prices. Politicians tend to deduce petroleum prices for political games. But it doesn’t matter who is in power, there isn’t much that you can do. There are factors that have affected the petroleum prices and they’re mainly and largely commercial.”

“We have seen the drones and the missiles and all the fight going on in the Middle East. The tension in the Middle East is seriously affecting international prices of crude oil…The tension in the Middle East is going to create a lot more tension in the international prices of energy products and commodities. The unstable cedi to the dollar has also not helped,” he stated.

Source: Citi Business News