The CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD), Senyo Hosi has told Ghanaians not to expect anything free in this country.
He has also accused politicians of lying and taking from Ghanaians.
According to him, the leaders of the country should not often tell the people of Ghana electricity prices have been subsidized, when in reality they haven't.
"And then we just come here and start taxing petrol for sanitation. It’s the easiest thing you do.
"If you have problems with the power crisis, be honest with the people. Let the people know that you are not paying the right price for electricity.
His comments come after the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah on PM: Express Monday indicated that Ghanaians will have to pay for the free provision of water and electricity introduced by the government in 2020 as part of measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“When we say free electricity it doesn’t mean that the IPP producer is also going to say because the President has said free electricity I won’t charge for it,” Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said.
But speaking on JoyNews' Super Morning Show Tuesday, Mr Hosi urged politicians to be transparent and brutally honest with Ghanaians regarding what it terms as being free.
"Don’t come and tell people that I’ve reduced electricity prices when you know you haven’t. There’s nothing free in this country. The politicians lie.
"They can’t give you a thing. They can only take from you. They can’t give you a thing. So be honest with the people. Stop telling them you’re giving them free stuff. How can I give you free with my right hand and collect two times or three times that much with my left hand? It is dishonest."
Adding that, if government incurred a shortfall of $1 billion in the electricity sector in 2020, why hasn't the price of electricity being priced correctly?
"And then if you want to have a subsidy, go straight and let the public know that we are subsidising electricity by so much."
Moreover, the Finance and Economic policy analyst noted that the lack of servant leadership and misplaced priorities in our politicians is what is having an adverse effect on the economy.
"We’re sitting here. We’re not thinking of ways how to actually boost electricity demand. We’re thinking of how to buy V8. That is the conversation that you have.
"Do we look like people who really have a problem? If you’re in a country that is as broke as Ghana looks like today if you see me driving the car that I’m driving, shouldn’t. When I don’t have money, I don’t move that car," he said.
Mr Hosi urged government not to burden Ghanaians with all these taxes it has come up with.
Meanwhile, in the 2021 budget statement, the new taxes and levies which have been introduced include; the financial sector clean-up levy, sanitation and pollution levy, Covid-19 health levy, and the energy sector recovery levy (Delta Fund).
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