In Ghana, another round of fuel price hikes…the third this year. The increases, announced late yesterday, come as the government struggles to adjust to rising prices on world oil markets. An opposition coalition criticized the increases and said the government is slapping too much tax on petroleum products. The coalition has been demonstrating since pump prices went up by 50% in February.
The National Petroleum Authority says premium petrol will now cost 32-thousand cedis, or about $3.60, per gallon. That’s up from 30-thousand-500 cedis, or $3.42, per gallon.
Ghanaian government spokesman Frank Agyekum told English to Africa reporter Ashenafi Abedje the price increase reflect increasing world prices for petrol. He says the effect of the petrol price increases on the poor are offset somewhat by planned improvements in public transportation and by the end of state-mandated school fees for children.
