The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Ransford Gyampo says Ghanaians will rather pay the recent GH¢1 per litre levy imposed on petroleum products by the Mahama administration than pay a much lesser levy under the previous administration.
According to him, unlike the past administration that squandered state resources, the present one will commit tax revenues including proceeds of the recent levy to the development of the country.
“Ghanaians would prefer to pay 1 cedi fuel levy to be used to solve a problem than to pay 1 pesewa e-levy/covid levy to be stolen by greedy people who also stole pensions of the aged. Ato won’t chop the 1 cedi, he would use it to solve the mess left behind,” he stated.
Parliament , on June 3, 2025, passed a bill under a certificate of urgency at the behest of the Mahama administration.
Known as the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, its passage imposed an additional GH¢1 per litre levy on petroleum products in the country.
Minister of Finance Cassiel Ato Forson, who laid the bill before Parliament, explained that it was intended to address the country’s crippling energy sector debt and ensure uninterrupted power supply.
But some Ghanaians particular the New Patriotic Party have criticized the government for failing to uphold its promise not to burden the populace with additional taxes.
In a social media post, however, Prof. Gyampo chastised the NPP for criticizing what he said is the current administration’s attempt to clear the mess the NPP’s administration had created in the energy sector.
“You left an energy sector debt of almost 4 billion USD behind. Someone is putting in place measures to pay your debt to keep Ghana switched on. You are criticizing without having a clue about how the problem you created must be solved,” he added.
