General News of Monday, 23 October 2000

Source: Chronicle

‘NPP encourage petrol smugglers’ -Moses Asaga

Mr. Moses Asaga, Deputy Minister of Finance, say’s the crippling petrol shortage which threatened to undermine the economic base of the country, was the work of the opposition of New Patriotic Party. Addressing a mammoth rally of the ruling National Democratic Congress at Tamale, Mr. Asaga said the NPP masterminded the shortage by encouraging the smuggling of petroleum products out of the country.

The Deputy Minister said in spite of this and the fact that petroleum products costs were astronomically higher in some of the neighbouring countries, the NDC Government would not increase the cost of fuel in Ghana.

Mr. Asaga had a stern warning for the people of the North. If the NPP wins, “we will run into holes and eat rubbish,” he said. At the same rally, the Minister of Health, Prof. Kwaku Danso-Boafo said under the Government’s Cash and Carry policy, children under five, the aged, accident victims, expectant mothers and people suffering from contagious diseases were exempted from paying medical fees.

“When you or your relative are involved in an accident and you take them to hospital and anybody demands money from you, please tell him it is Government’s policy that you are not supposed to pay anything”, he told the crowd – The Ghanaian Chronicle