After hobnobbing with top gov`t officials in CJAKwesi Pratt turns heat on NDC… Says petrol increase unjustifiable, ready for another demo

A leading member of the Committee for Joint Action (CJA), Mr. Kwasi Pratt Jnr., has warned President Atta Mills that he would dig his own grave, if he does not rescind his decision to increase the price of fuel for the third time this year.

According to him, the Mills-led government should expect massive demonstrations for increasing the prices of fuel without any justification.

Speaking to The Chronicle yesterday, Pratt insisted that the government was not subsidising fuel products, and that the latter should desist from deceiving Ghanaians that they should bear with them over the increases, because they were enjoying subsidies.

The vociferous CJA member, also agued that the government cannot use the increment of the product on the international market to justify the current price adjustment, because it was the same argument that ex-President Kufuor made, which the CJA rejected.

“The increase is unjustified; nobody can justify the increase; the claims that there is a subsidy is false; there is no subsidy; besides this is the position we held one year ago, so I don't see why it should change,” he stressed.

He cautioned politicians to be consistent with their promises, since Ghanaians could not be taken for granted.

The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) announced a five per cent increase in fuel prices, which took effect on Saturday.

According to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the NPA, Mr. Yaro Kasambata, the increasment follows hikes in crude oil prices on the world market, which has now hit $80 per barrel

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) used the petrol increment by the Kufuor government as a campaign tool, by supporting the CJA to organise a series of demonstrations, during which then candidate Mills participated.

After assuming office, the latter surprisingly increased the price of fuel, was contrary to his earlier position.