Fuel price cut prompts vote-buying claim

Ghana's petroleum authority cut fuel prices by 17 percent from Friday, prompting opposition allegations that the ruling party was using its influence to buy votes ahead of a Dec. 28 presidential election run-off.

The cut, announced on state television late on Thursday just a day after the run-off vote was announced, was by far the biggest in a series of fuel price reductions as world oil prices have fallen by two-thirds from record highs five months ago.

The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) normally surveys prices over the first 15 days of the month and announces any modification on the 16th or 17th.

"But here we are just on the 11th day of December, an announcement was made after an election in which the government did not do well, to assuage the people, knowing very well that voters are preparing for December 28," said Kwabena Donkor, a spokesman for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).