The Member of Parliament for Asuogyaman, Thomas Ampem Nyarko, has called on parliament to consider sitting twice a week to lessen the impact of fuel prices on the MPs’ pockets.
The lawmaker, who has been lamenting the lack of activity in parliament, argued that lawmakers keep wasting fuel to the house.
Speaking on the floor of parliament on Friday, November 4, Mr Ampem Nyarko called on the house to consider the proposal to bring relief to the MPs who are struggling to fuel their vehicles.
“Mr Speaker, we all know the business for this particular meeting is the budget and I have observed that for the days we have been here, sometimes we come, and in less than two hours, we adjourned till the next day. I am asking that it will not be possible for the business committee to consolidate and park the activities so instead of four days I suggest we work two days a week in order to be able to save on the amount of money we are using for fuel.
“Mr Speaker, a day before yesterday I went to a Goil filling station at Legon, my lights were on, and I asked them to fill my tank; I got down to the shop to buy something when I came back; GHC3000 was my bill. I had GHC2100; I had to call my colleague, honourable Jajah, to send mobile money that I avoided using before I was able to pay my bill. We can stay for six hours a day instead of coming for two hours, and we will go back. That way, we can save GHC500 a week. The fuel situation is killing us,” he added.
However, the Majority leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, rejected his proposal, arguing that the current economic crisis requires that productivity is increased, and MPs are no exception.
“The Member of Parliament calling for work in just two days in a week, Mr. Speaker, that is a very apocalyptic declaration. I think that it’s an unfortunate call,” he said.
Currently, petrol and diesel prices are being sold at an average of ¢18 and ¢23 per litre, from the previous prices of ¢15 and ¢19 per litre respectively.
The situation has largely been attributed to the depreciation of the cedi against the dollar.
However, President Akufo-Addo said the government was not oblivious to the hard times and the discomfort it caused the public.
Meanwhile, industry players have warned of tougher times ahead as prices of petroleum products surge again.