“Where you stand depends on where you sit”: The politics of petroleum pricing in Ghana's election cycle

Abstract This study examines how fuel pricing in Ghana has been used as a political tool to win votes and the government's role in this process. Applying Mile's Law, it explores post‐truth theory through content analysis of secondary data and interviews with energy experts. The findings indicate that political parties gain significant political leverage by promising lower fuel prices during campaigns but fail to deliver once in office. The government's influence on fuel pricing is minimal, largely due to factors beyond its control. To stabilize fuel prices, the study recommends improving fiscal and economic performance to combat currency instability and educating the public on the factors influencing fuel pricing to prevent misinformation. Related Articles Asiegbu, Martin F., Okey Marcellus Ikeanyibe, Pius Otu Abang, Okwudili Chukwuma Nwosu, and Chuka Eugene Ugwu. 2024. “Natural Resource Fund Governance and the Institutionalization of Rent Seeking in Nigeria's Oil Sector.” Politics & Policy 52(1): 169–95. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12579 . Ayanoore, Ishmael, and Sam Hickey. 2022. “Reframing the Politics of Natural Resource Governance in Africa: Insights from the Local Content Legislation Process in Ghana.” Politics & Policy 50(1): 119–36. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12449 . Kuyini Mohammed, Abdulai. 2013. “Civic Engagement in Public Policy Making: Fad or Reality in Ghana?” Politics & Policy 41(1): 117–52. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12003 .