Charles Forson, the Tema Central Member of Parliament has said the recently passed Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025 is a rip-off.
According to him, the GH₵1 fuel tax is excessive and a burden on ordinary Ghanaians.
He asserted that Ghanaians complain about E-levy being 1%, but the dumsor tax is 8 per cent.
Speaking on Channel One, Charles Forson stated, “It is a severe tax. We complained about the E-levy being 1%, but this tax is about 8 plus per cent. When an okada rider buys a gallon of fuel, when a troski driver buys in gallons, which is 4.5 litres, being that it’s a gallon, you pay 4.50 pesewas. And that is 8% of the sum total.
“It’s just a rip-off. A whopping 8%, which is outrageous. We [Akufo-Addo administration] kept the power on for 8 years. We cannot burden Ghanaians with 8%,” he said.
“GPRTU and other commercial drivers are also trying to go on strike. What will happen to the Ghanaian economy?” he asked.
“They [government] keep saying the cedi is strong while everybody’s pocket is dry,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Private Legal Practitioner and Energy Expert Kwame Jantuah has stated that as difficult as it is dumsor levy is a necessary evil.
According to Kwame Jantuah, if the entire country is being asked to share the burden of the energy sector debt, appointees of the government must also pay for the fuel levy.
He asserted that appointees of the government do not feel the pressure on Ghanaians because they are given free fuel coupons.
Speaking on the Key Points on TV3 on Saturday, June 7, Kwame Jantuah stated, “Do we have a debt? We have a debt. How do we pay that debt? If this was your own private business, and you have a debt, would you not sit with your family and discuss with them that you have debt to pay, so you want to sell the car?
“As difficult as it is. It [ Fuel levy] is a necessary evil…However, I would have thought that certain explanations would be given before being told of the one Cedi. Where do we stand with ESLA? I would have expected the Finance Minister to go into details. I expected him to also look at the nominees for the president.
He asserted that appointees of the government do not feel the pressure on Ghanaians because they are given free fuel coupons.
Kwame Jantuah added, “Do they buy fuel? We say everybody should share to clear this debt, the nominees of the president, how do they get fuel? Do they buy fuel with their money to buy fuel? How do we get them to also buy fuel to share in this burden?
“It is not only one political party that has created this debt. Since we cannot continue to sit in debt. How long is this levy going to stay in the books? Is it going to be till thy Kingdom come? I think we need clarification on that. I expect transparency as to how the money is being used.”
He added, “Government appointees do not feel the pressure that other Ghanaians feel because they use fuel coupons.”
