Mr Owusu Ankomah, a presidential candidate in the 2000 elections, on Wednesday called on the government not only to build consensus but put in place packages such as salary adjustment and lorry fares before announcing fuel increases in future.

This, in his view, would forestall the near chaos that characterised the recent fuel increases.

Mr Ankomah said it was improper for the government not to have involved all stakeholders in the decision to increase fuel prices.

''The way government went about it gave the impression that it had a hidden agenda and this should not have been the case.''

Mr Ankomah said the majority of Ghanaians celebrated Christmas to the extent that after the Christmas and New Year celebrations many of them are left with very little money.

''Immediately following these celebrations comes the opening of schools which also takes a chunk of money from parents so that most parents, especially public and civil servants, were left with virtually no money to face the remaining days of the month.''

Mr Ankomah said the increase in fuel prices was not in tune with salaries was therefore too much. ''A caring government would not have unleashed this hardship on its people.''

He said the government must get its priorities right by thinking about the well-being of the people before taking any such a decision in future.

Mr Ankomah said it was strange for the government to blame others for the increase in the fuel prices having displayed a blatant insensitivity to the plight of the people and hoped that it had learnt a great lesson.