Accra, June 9, GNA - The Committee for Joint Action (CJA) on Monday expressed shock and dismay at the increase in fuel prices. A statement signed by Mr Kwasi Adu, on behalf the CJA said, it was totally opposed to the arbitrary increases, which were certainly going to exacerbate the serious economic hardships most Ghanaians were going through.

It said the increases had come about due to the failure of government and the managers of the energy sector to think outside the box, in order to come out with more creative ways of managing the situation.

The statement said: "We have time and again insisted that the practice of always passing the cost onto Ghanaians whenever crude oil prices shot up on the world market is not sustainable and will only serve to aggravate the suffering of the average Ghanaian. We are totally dissatisfied with the excuses being put up by government, as these were the same excuses the New Patriotic Party put up which we rejected. "We have also consistently argued that government should desist on buying crude oil at spot market prices and explore other options like hedging, diplomatic initiatives aimed at purchasing crude oil from friendly nations at more affordable prices and under more favourable terms, as well cutting down on government expenditure on fuel, in order to alleviate the plight of Ghanaians."

The statement said CJA had requested a meeting with government to enable the Committee to put its views on petroleum pricing across. It said the outcome of the meeting "would shape our attitude". Fuel prices were increased by 30 per cent over the weekend followed by increases in transport fares by the transport unions.