Ghanaians buy $60,000 BMWs but want to pay less for fuel - Asaga

The Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority says Ghanaians are being "hypocritical" in their reaction to the fuel price hikes.

Moses Asaga does not understand why Ghanaians are buying luxurious vehicles but do not want to pay realistic prices for fuel.

Asaga believes Ghanaians live luxurious lives like those in Germany but still want to pay less for fuel.

"You buy a $60,000 BMW, that is the price in Germany. How did you buy it in Ghana when you say that he (German) is receiving more salary than you. But you have been able to buy the facilities that they are having.

"Now you buy a 60,000 BMW but you don't want to pay 6 dollars per litre [fuel] for it." he told Joy News' Beatrice Adu.

When his attention was drawn to the fact that the $60,000 BMWs can only be afforded by a privileged few in the country, Moses Asaga retorted: "The majority of the people are living now in the cities. The number of private cars constitute about 60-70 per cent.

"The kind of cars we use in Ghana, you can't believe it is Ghana," he said, adding, "When it comes to fuel, I think Ghanaians are being hypocritical." He believes the complaints by Ghanaians are "exaggerated" because they do "not want to pay more for petroleum products."

Ever since the fuel price hikes were announced Saturday, many Ghanaians have expressed shock.

Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party Nana Akufo-Addo who is on a tour in Europe and in Koln Germany to be precise, said the Mahama administration has been insensitive.

He did not understand why government will announce hikes in fuel prices at a time there is power crisis in Ghana with many depending on generators and lanterns.

He thought that prices of fuel would rather be reduced to allow Ghanaians to buy fuel for their generators and lanterns.

His running-mate Mahamudu Bawumia expressed similar sentiments when he met with party supporters in the Upper West Region of Ghana.

But Moses Asaga believes the two men have been "intellectually dishonest."

"Their mathematics is always distorted and there is a lot of intellectual dishonesty on it. At the time we did a decrease of 10 per cent these same people came out to say ten percent decrease is marginal. If we do the converse, the nine per cent increase should be seen as marginal," he suggested.

He was even more surprised with Nana Akufo-Addo whom he said was in Koln making comments about fuel prices when in Koln, Germany, citizens are paying twice the amount Ghanaians are paying.

He said because fuel pricing is based on "international import parity," prices should be about the same across the world.