Accra, June 9, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills on Tuesday opened a new chapter in Ghana politics, by granting audience to the Committee for Joint Action (CJA), a pressure group, at the Castle, Osu, promising Government's commitment to alleviate poverty.

He noted that Government was voted into power to provide a leadership for better lives and it is therefore necessary that the citizenry is part of the most important measures to be adopted to alleviate poverty.

Discussions between the President and CJA, which was led by Mr Kwesi Pratt Junior, Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, centred on Friday's increase in prices of petroleum products. President Mills gave a firm assurance to respond publicly to the concerns of the CJA, at the appropriate time. In his submission, Mr Pratt expressed appreciation to the President for the reception, explaining that it had not been so in the past when they would have been met with brute force. Mr Pratt observed that increases in prices of petroleum products had economic, political and social ramifications, and suggested that any increase should be done with a holistic approach.

He recalled that the issue of petroleum prices had played a key role in campaign in the run-up to the last general election. Mr Pratt said reduction in petroleum prices would provide some respite to Ghanaians.

He said increase in crude oil price was not sufficient reason for an increase in price since the issue was a multi-sectoral one. Mr Pratt suggested that substantial savings could be made in addition to reduction in public corruption to make for shortfalls in oil prices.

According to the CJA, it is the responsibility of Government to stabilize the soaring exchange rates, adding that the flight of the cedi against the major foreign currencies is an even more compellable reason for Government to adopt effective measures to reduce poverty and alleviate the plight of the masses. Mr Pratt suggested the need for improved communication of any information on petroleum price increase. 0