Protest Aftermath, Price Appreciation...Weekly Wrap-Up from the Morning Man

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Hm. This week dier… some way.

On Monday, the #Dumsormuststop Vigil was on our minds, and we attempted to measure its impact and identify its significance. We spoke to Leadership Expert, Dr Esi Ansah, who agreed that it was a significant event, symbolising Ghana's democratic maturity, freedom of expression, even though it also revealed the simmering intolerance that constantly remained under the surface of our political discourse - although this particular event forced it out from beneath the surface for several uncomfortable days - especially on social media, where Ghanaians proved beyond any doubt in the days leading up to the vigil, that we had a genuine talent for verbal abuse.

We all woke up on Tuesday morning to discover that the Government, through the National Petroleum Authority, had increased fuel prices by 9%. This proves once again, that there's no such thing as a free lunch with this our Social Democratic Government.

In January this year, when world oil prices were down from $100 to $67 per barrel, the Government gave us a 10% reduction in fuel prices at the pump.

By March, world prices were down to $48 per barrel, but there was no further pump price reduction in Ghana.

Today, a barrel of crude oil is $60.72 ($7 less than it cost at the time of the 10% reduction), and the Government has increased ex-pump prices by 9%.

But NPA Boss, Moses Asaga, told us on Tuesday, that we should rather be thanking them for the current price of fuel in Ghana, because we get it much cheaper than Germany. He failed to mention that ours is more expensive than the USA, because that wouldn't really have helped make his point, would it?

He then called on Ghanaians to brace ourselves to pay the real price of fuel, since our social democratic government can no longer subsidise it. I personally, have always been confused about this whole subsidy business. If you set a price for fuel, is that the same as subsidising it? Especially when you're taxing it heavily? Maybe one of you economic gurus can enlighten me.

But enough about Tuesday. On Wednesday, we talked about the penalties for traffic offences in Ghana. Shockingly, if you commit an armed robbery that does not result in loss of life, you will get a longer jail sentence than a drunk driver who crashes into a family of 5 and kills them all. In fact, that driver can't be given more than a GHC2,500 fine and/or 7 years in jail. Can you believe that?

This wasn't always the case though. The NPP Government implemented some harsh penalties for traffic violations, which caused a decrease in occurrence - according to the police - but just before the election, they suddenly slashed the penalties across board by 90%. So essentially, they made life easier for criminals in exchange for their votes.

Some argued that the increased fines were not affordable by drivers. I would like to offer a small correction: the increased fines were not affordable by drivers WHO BROKE THE LAW. Where else in the world would people want the consequence of lawlessness to be manageable instead of punitive? God bless our Homeland Ghana.

And then yesterday happened.

Imagine you are headed home after a long day at work. Just at the gate to your house, two people stop you. Maybe you recognise them, maybe you don't. Either way, your job makes you a well known person in your community, so it's not unusual for strangers to approach you. You press the button to lower your window, and you're suddenly soaked in some liquid. At first, you're not sure what has just happened. Suddenly, your skin starts to burn. All over your body. An unbearable flaming heat, as you watch the acid literally eat up your flesh in sickening chunks. The last thing your melting eyeballs see is the sight of two people running off in the distance.

This is what happened to Adams Mahama, the Upper East Regional Chairman of the NPP. His murder has sent shockwaves through the nation's biggest opposition party, and this morning, the joint fate of National Chairman Paul Afoko and General Secretary Kwabena Agyapong remain unclear. We will certainly attempt to clarify this and the dozen other matters arising from the brutal killing of Adams Mahama.

My name is Kojo Yankson, and it's been a week of Protest Aftermath, Price Appreciation, Penalty Affordability, and Purposeless Assassination

GOOD MORNING, GHANAFO!

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