The Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Aquinas Tawiah Quansah has disclosed that the latest increment in the price of premix fuel, was the initiative of fishermen. According to Mr. Quansah, the leadership of the fishermen who were 48 in number, met over the weekend in Accra and proposed an upward adjustment in the price of the premix, to enable sustainability in supply to facilitate their work. He stated on Badwam on Adom TV Thursday that in the past increment in prices of petroleum did not affect premix fuel but some persons had created artificial shortage in the supply of the product and were selling it to the fishermen at GH¢7 per gallon. The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) announced increment in the prices of some fuel products with effect from Thursday August 1, 2013. Premix fuel which was selling at 66.82 GHp/lt recorded the highest increment. It was increased by 19.94% as the pump price went up to 80.14 GHp/lt. "It's not going to make them worse off or better off, at the end of the day, its just a little hike in the price", the Deputy Minister told Joy News' Seth Kwame Boateng. According to Acquinas Tawiah, the fishermen have told him that so far as there is continuous supply of pre-mix fuel a little hike in price would not pose problems to them - indicating that the upward change in the product should not affect the fishing community. The NPA said increment is in line with the government of Ghana's policy directive to achieve full pass-through petroleum products prices. Mr Quansah further explained that crude oil price internationally has gone up hence the need for a commensurate upward review of the commodity.