The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has pushed back strongly against criticism over the Mahama administration’s decision to scrap fuel allocations and allowances for political appointees.
Responding to claims by members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that the directive was a mere populist show, lawyer and party communicator Hamza Suhuyini said the opposition’s remarks were rooted in denial and political frustration.
“The NPP is an interesting party and for me, when I was listening to Miracles Aboagye, I was like, what is happening in this country? Especially with the New Patriotic Party?”
Hamza Suhuyini, NDC Communications Team Member
Speaking in defence of the government’s position, Mr. Suhuyini dismissed suggestions that the move was a cosmetic gesture or part of a media stunt. According to him, the NPP’s reaction reflects a party struggling to accept its own failings and the NDC’s determination to meet public expectations.
He pointed to past government decisions that had also been wrongly branded by the NPP as mere “settings,” noting that even policy reforms with clear fiscal benefits had been cynically dismissed by the opposition.
“When this government took a decision to reduce the number of ministers, they accused us of embarking on a settings agenda,” Suhuyini said, adding that similar allegations followed the government’s tax reviews and anti-galamsey efforts.
Public Purse and Public Demand
The NDC communicator emphasized that the government’s recent decision to cancel fuel allocations for appointees, and an earlier one to reduce the number of ministers are part of broader policies to cut government spending and align with public sentiment.
He argued that these moves by the government “undoubtedly have a bearing on the prudent management of the public purse,” challenging anyone who argued otherwise to rethink their position.
In defending the policy, Suhuyini made it clear that the government was not driven by optics, but by principle and electoral commitments.
“Today, in line with one of our campaign promises, the government again has decided to do away with allocations in terms of fuel allowances that our appointees draw. And that one too, according to the NPP, is settings?
“We shouldn’t commend the government for that? The government is engaged in another usual agenda?”
Hamza Suhuyini, NDC Communications Team Member
Suhuyini underscored that the measure was directly in response to public demand and that ignoring such calls would have amounted to disrespecting the electorate.
“If you continue to disregard and disrespect the demands of the Ghanaian people by referring to it as settings, that is yours to carry. But this government will not budge in terms of our willingness to remain true to the demands of the Ghanaian people”
Hamza Suhuyini, NDC Communications Team Member
“This is not the first time that Ghanaians have complained,” He said, explaining that fuel allowances for political appointees in particular had long been a point of national contention and wondered why the previous administration had failed to act.
Suhuyini struggled to reconcile how a government that failed to “work for” the people when given the opportunity over the last eight years, has the temerity to find fault with the new administration that is clearly up to the task.
He stressed how vastly different the NDC’s governance philosophy is from the NPP and challenged the opposition to review its stance.
“The attempt by this NDC administration to respond to that call in itself demonstrates respect to the good people of this country, and that ought to be commended”
Hamza Suhuyini, NDC Communications Team Member
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