Paul Twum-Barimah, former Member of Parliament for Dormaa East and a Barrister of the Supreme Court, has issued a sharp rebuttal to recent assertions made by the Minister of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, regarding the causes of escalating petroleum prices in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a move aimed at pivoting the national conversation toward “sustainable solutions,” Twum-Barimah challenged the Minister\u2019s narrative that high fuel costs were a unique failure of the previous administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Defending the NPP Record<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The exchange began after Kwakye Ofosu claimed that petroleum prices reached record highs under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration due to internal economic mismanagement that predated the Russia\u2013Ukraine war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reacting via a Facebook post on Saturday, April 4, 2026, Twum-Barimah defended the previous government\u2019s performance, arguing that it operated under “significant external constraints.” He noted that while the country faced unprecedented shocks, the NPP implemented specific policies to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n * Stabilize the economy and maintain fuel supply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n * Cushion consumers through targeted subsidies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n * Manage exchange rates to prevent further price spikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Global Reality vs. Domestic Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Twum-Barimah argued that any credible analysis of Ghana’s energy sector must look beyond local politics. He stated that it is “misleading” to suggest that price surges were solely the result of domestic mismanagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Global crude oil prices were already volatile due to post-COVID supply chain disruptions, and the war only amplified an existing global crisis affecting all economies, not just Ghana,” Twum-Barimah stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He further emphasized that fuel price dynamics are primarily driven by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n * International market forces and global supply volatility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n * Forex pressures and the strength of the local currency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n * Global geopolitical tensions, including the Russia\u2013Ukraine and Middle East conflicts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A Call for Substance Over Politics<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In a conciliatory yet firm tone, Twum-Barimah addressed the Minister directly, saying, \u201cFelix, my brother, indeed these are interesting times.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He urged a shift in the tone of public discourse, calling on government officials and political actors to “elevate the discussion beyond politics” and focus on the actual substance of Ghana’s energy future. His final appeal was for a “balanced and fact-based national conversation” that prioritizes the long-term stability of the petroleum sector over partisan point-scoring.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Paul Twum-Barimah, former Member of Parliament for Dormaa East and a Barrister of the Supreme Court, has issued a sharp rebuttal to recent assertions made by the Minister of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, regarding the causes of escalating petroleum […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6897,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6894","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-latest","category-local"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t