Minority wants GH¢1 fuel levy scrapped permanently despite suspension

Minority wants GH¢1 fuel levy scrapped permanently despite suspension

The Minority in Parliament is insisting that the government must permanently abolish the GH¢1-per-litre fuel levy, arguing that its temporary suspension only offers consumers short-term relief.

Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Energy Committee, Collins Adomako-Mensah, said the government’s decision to suspend the charge does not address the Minority’s concerns about its introduction.

Speaking on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News on Thursday, November 5, the Afigya Kwabre East MP said the levy would eventually return once the suspension period ends.

“We still insist [it] should have been abolished. What this means is that after two months or a month, that one Ghana cedi will come back,” he said.

He maintained that the Minority had opposed the levy from the beginning and wanted it removed entirely rather than suspended for a limited period.

“We don’t even want to hear the suspension of the one Ghana cedi. That one Ghana cedi, we still insist, should have been abolished,” he stressed.

Mr Adomako-Mensah also questioned the decision to impose the charge per litre instead of per gallon, arguing that the latter would have reduced the burden on motorists and transport operators, particularly those who depend heavily on diesel.

He further called for a review of the various taxes and levies included in petroleum prices, saying a broader assessment was needed to provide lasting relief to consumers.

The Minority’s latest position follows the government’s decision to suspend the GH¢1-per-litre Energy Sector Shortfall and Debt Repayment Levy (D-Levy) on diesel for October and November as part of measures to cushion consumers against rising fuel prices.

The temporary measure has not, however, changed the Minority’s demand for the complete removal of the charge.