NPP to protest GH¢1 Fuel Levy – National Organiser

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced plans to protest against the newly approved Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

The NPP National Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye, in a Facebook post on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, indicated that the party, in collaboration with other political groups, will hit the streets of Kumasi to protest the levy, which he described as a “wicked” and “obnoxious” tax.

The bill, which includes a GH¢1 fuel levy, was passed by Parliament on Tuesday, June 3, despite a walkout from the Minority Caucus, who voiced concerns about the added financial burden on Ghanaians.

This bill aims to generate extra revenue to tackle the significant debt facing the nation’s energy sector and to help ensure a reliable power supply.

Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the Finance Minister who presented the bill as a matter of urgency, revealed that the energy sector’s total debt has reached an alarming US$3.1 billion as of March 2025.

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), Duncan Amoah, has launched a scathing critique of the government’s new GH¢1 levy on every litre of petroleum products, warning that it will place a heavy burden on all Ghanaians.

In a media interview, Mr. Amoah described the tax as “counterproductive” and “a direct hit on the pockets of struggling citizens”, especially at a time when the cost of living remains high and that its consequences would be severe for all Ghanaians.

“This move is clearly a case of creating holes in our pockets and taking whatever you find; it doesn’t help,” he said.