The Minority in Parliament is demanding an apology from President JEA Mills for failing to live up to his campaign promise of drastically reducing fuel prices. The Minority condemned the recent fuel price hikes of 30 per cent, arguing the increases were unjustifiable. It is calling on the Finance Minister, Dr Kwabena Duffour to come before the House and explain in detail how the 30 per cent price increase was arrived at. Speaking to journalists Wednesday, the Deputy Minority Leader, Mr. Ambrose Dery said the president had not been candid with Ghanaians. According to him, the Minority wants explanation “because the 30 per cent increase sends the cost of fuel into the region of above GH¢5 (per gallon), when the world price as far as we know is around $65 per barrel.” Mr. Dery explained that “if at $147 a barrel was the only time that the NPP government allowed a price that was above GH¢5, what is it that has gone in now to get across that GH¢5 threshold when we haven’t even gone to half the price of $147.” In the light of these increases, the Lawra/Nandom Member of Parliament said the Minority wants government to explain whether its allegations that the NPP was unreasonable and insensitive in its handling of petroleum pricing were justified. “Using TOR debt as a diversionary tactic is neither here nor there,” he stated, in reference to government’s explanation that the increases were necessary to salvage the Tema Oil Refinery. He said, “We know that in the price of the fuel there is a payment for the TOR debt. We have not been told that that payment has been increased. If it is still the same as existed under the NPP, the TOR debt cannot be the reason (for the increases).” Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com