Former Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam has criticized the government for imposing a GH¢1 levy on fuel, saying it brings in more revenue than all the taxes the Mahama administration abolished in the 2025 budget combined.
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According to him, scrapped taxes such as the E-levy and Betting Tax did not generate GH¢5 billion in total, yet the single fuel levy is projected to raise GH¢5.7 billion annually.
“Not long ago, they were here celebrating the abolition of taxes. But all the taxes they abolished, put together, did not bring in GH¢5 billion,” he said in Parliament.
Parliament passed the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025 on Tuesday, June 3, under a certificate of urgency. It introduces a GH¢1 charge per litre on petroleum products to address energy sector shortfalls and repay debt.
The government expects to use the revenue to tackle a US$3.1 billion energy sector debt and an additional US$1.2 billion needed for fuel procurement to keep thermal power plants running in 2025.
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson assured Parliament that the levy’s impact on fuel prices would be cushioned by the strong performance of the Ghana Cedi, implying consumers won’t face immediate hikes at the pump.
But Dr. Amin Adam, who is also the MP for Karaga, accused the government of giving with one hand and taking with the other.
“They gave something to you with their left hand, and now they are taking it back with the right, and not just from your hand but from your pocket as well. That’s what they’re doing with these petrol taxes,” he said.
