A former Minister for Youth and Sports, Joseph Yamin, has blamed the recent fuel and transport hike on the bad policies of the Akufo-Addo-led government.

Yamin, a former deputy minister for the Ashanti region, said the New Patriotic Party administration has mismanaged the country’s economy with its uninspiring policies, pushing Transport owners to increase transport fares.

The Road Transport Operators announced on Wednesday that it had increased fares by 13 percent. The new fares will take effect from Saturday, June 5, 2021.

They indicated that their decision was necessitated by fuel hikes but Yamin says its effect will increase the cost of living among Ghanaians.

“In line with the administrative Arrangement on Public Transport Fares the Road Transport operators have received the prices of various components that go into, the running of, commercial transport services,” the statement added.

Reacting to the development on the Morning Update on TV XYZ, Joseph Yamin predicted severe hardship under the NPP government.

In his estimation, president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has destroyed the strong economy he inherited from the John Mahama-led administration, which has forced the government to impose high taxes on fuel leading to the 13℅ fare hike by the Ghana Private Road and Transport Union (GPRTU).

Mr. Yamin pointed out that, despite the big promises made by the NPP in opposition that they would not impose taxes on Ghanaians to mitigate their suffering, they have rather done otherwise.

Yamin also cautioned the NPP government to stop the “lies” that the outbreak of the covid 19 pandemic is the reason the economy is in shambles.

He observed that apart from the numerous taxes slapped on fuel prices, the hike is a result of the country’s weak currency, saying Ghana is not the only country that was hit by the pandemic.

“Is Ghana the only country battling with Covid 19?” he asked as he argued that “the Government is not using its own money to fight the Covid-19.”

Mr. Yamin further stated that the loans and grants the government took from the IMF and the World Bank were rather used to fight the COVID-19.

Yamin believes the NPP created a false impression it could perform magic to turn the fortunes of Ghana around but woefully failed to do so after winning power in the last two elections, thereby resulting in untold hardship Ghanaians have had to grapple with.