Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr has warned Minority leader in Parliament Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu to refrain from speaking if he has nothing to say.

He said the Minority leader and his party’s attempt to sound holier than everyone is at best “dishonest and hypocritical” because the Kufour-led administration did not do any better.

His comments are in response to a press conference orgnaised by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to respond to the 2015 budget statement of the government.

The minority leader at the press conference said the budget statement was a “hopeless” one and will not guarantee Ghana’s economic development.

He also questioned why the Committee of Joint Action (CJA) watched in silence while the government increased the price of petroleum products with impunity.

He said the CJA, made up of some members of the present government and members of civil society went on countless demonstrations when the NPP was in government, constantly calling on the administration to reduce fuel prices drastically, even though world market price of fuel at the time was $147 per barrel.

“All of a sudden, the CJA members have lost their voices under this government while it drastically increases fuel prices, even though price of crude oil is almost at an all-time low – below $50.”

But the veteran journalist responding to the comments on Radio Gold’s news analysis programme ‘Alhaji and Alhaji’ said the minority leader should “keep his mouth shut if he has nothing to say rather than turning himself into a mountain of ridicule.”

He said that  whatever decision the Mahama-led administration has taken today in relation to the increase in the price of petroleum products has happened before under the Kufour-led administration and so the minority leader should not pretend that they were better.

“In the eight years of the Kufour-led administration they did not protest when fuel prices were increased by 100 percent but rather defended it so as a mark of consistency, they should also support what is happening today. Their administration did the same thing.”

Mr Pratt said that even though what happened previously does not justify what is happening currently, complaints from the minority show “double standards and hypocrisy”.

He said the best way to deal with issues concerning petroleum prices was to create transparency in the fixing of the prices because “whether Kufour, Mills or Mahama, the talk of subsidy is dishonest.”

When asked to comment on how the Mahama-led administration has performed over the two year period, Mr Pratt said the government has made some significant achievements.

Several projects, according to him have been completed leading to the development of country and lowering the cost of living significantly.

He however advised that the government should not get complacent but rather work harder because their ability to deal with the problems will determine whether of not they will be voted for in 2016.

He said it is important not to dwell on the achievements because no matter significant the achievement is if the government fails to address the little challenges, the Mahama administration will have to say goodbye to power.

He advised government to tackle the issue of electricity because everything is dependent on the provision of electricity.