The Minority in Parliament is threatening large-scale protests against what it calls a “callous,” “predatory,” and “economically devastating” GH¢1 fuel levy that was recently approved by Parliament.
During a press conference led by the Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, on Thursday, June 5, the Minority pledged to “take to the streets” alongside “well-meaning Ghanaians” to oppose what they describe as a midnight imposition of hardship through the backdoor.
“This isn’t merely about a one-cedi increase,” he remarked. “It’s about the very essence of our nation. Ato has imposed the D-levy upon us.”
The levy, which was enacted under the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, on June 3, aims to generate revenue to tackle Ghana’s power sector debt and ensure a reliable electricity supply.
However, the Minority contends that the levy is merely a cruel burden on citizens who are already struggling with economic challenges.
“This GH¢1 hike in fuel prices is outrageous,” he declared.
“The Finance Minister himself mentioned in January that ‘tariffs will not be used to raise revenue’ and ‘tariffs will not be used to reward ECG’s inefficiencies.’ This levy marks a complete and unacceptable reversal of that promise.”
They argue that the economic repercussions will be significant. “We estimate this tax will extract an astonishing GH¢475 million from the pockets of innocent Ghanaians each month, totaling GH¢5.7 billion annually,” the Caucus asserted.
The Minority also questioned the government’s silence regarding ECG’s inefficiencies.
“What specific actions have been taken to address ECG’s inefficiencies? The government’s silence on this crucial matter is deafening.”
They characterized the rationale for the tax as “oversimplified and misleading,” particularly the assertion that the levy was necessary due to falling fuel prices.
“The international oil market is unpredictable and beyond the government’s control,” the MP stated.
“Attributing the energy crisis solely to this situation is misleading.
Source: HotFmOnline.com
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