By Eugene Davis
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin is urging the government to repeal the recently passed Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, to demonstrate that it is responsive to public concerns.
Parliament approved the bill in early June, introducing a GH₵1 increase in petroleum levies, aimed at generating an additional GH₵5.7 billion to address energy sector debts and support power stability.
However, Mr. Afenyo-Markin—also the Member of Parliament for Effutu—argues that the bill, which he labels a “dumsor levy,” was rushed and poorly conceived. Addressing Parliament during a debate on the Business Statement, he called for the Finance Minister to be summoned to repeal the bill under the same certificate of urgency used to pass it.
“This isn’t a solution—it’s a shameful retreat that exposes the government’s incompetence and hypocrisy,” he stated, referring to the indefinite postponement of the levy’s implementation by the Ghana Revenue Authority.
According to him, the delay amounts to “trial-and-error governance” and shows a lack of proper consultation. He criticized the government for using international crises as excuses, contrasting it with past accusations the current administration made when in opposition.
He also stressed that the tax burden is unfair during an ongoing economic crisis, adding, “President Mahama promised relief, not more taxes. Yet this government wants to tax fuel even in hardship. It’s unacceptable.”
The government justifies the levy as necessary to help clear the energy sector’s $3.1 billion debt and raise an additional $1.2 billion to secure fuel for thermal power in 2025. The Minority remains unconvinced, maintaining that the levy is unjustified and must be scrapped entirely.
