The Minority in Parliament is demanding the immediate repeal of the controversial Energy Sector Shortfall and Debt Repayment Levy, commonly known as the “Dumsor Levy.” They have called on the government to submit a repeal bill under a certificate of urgency to abolish the levy completely.
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This demand follows the Ghana Revenue Authority’s announcement of a second postponement of the levy’s implementation. Originally set to take effect on June 16, a new date is yet to be announced.
In a statement issued on June 14, the Minority described the postponement as “wholly inadequate” and a clear sign of poor governance. They insisted that the government must go beyond temporary delays and completely reverse the policy.
“We emphatically call upon the Government to immediately table a repeal bill under certificate of urgency to comprehensively abolish the Energy Sector Levies (Amendment) Act, 2025,” the statement read.
They criticized the decision to delay implementation just days before it was scheduled, arguing that it reflects a chaotic and inconsistent approach to economic management. According to them, the eleventh-hour U-turn exposes a lack of preparation and a failure to consult key stakeholders before enacting the law.
The Minority also rejected the government’s justification that global oil price volatility, triggered by the Israel-Iran conflict, necessitated the postponement. They described this explanation as hypocritical and unacceptable.
They argued that the government had initially pushed the levy without adequate preparation, and the latest delay only confirms this. “A manifest indication of governance characterized by improvisation and trial-and-error methodology,” they added.
The Minority further warned the government not to blame any worsening of the ongoing power crisis on the suspension of the levy. They insisted the current crisis results from poor decisions made by the administration since it assumed office.
“Furthermore, we categorically reject any attempt by this Government to utilize the Minority’s call for the repeal of this obnoxious levy as a pretext for exacerbating the power crisis they have themselves inflicted,” the statement said.
They reminded the government of its previous pledges to provide relief, not additional taxes. The group emphasized that the levy directly contradicts President Mahama’s electoral commitments and reflects a lack of understanding of the economic pressures ordinary Ghanaians face.
In closing, the Minority assured the public of their continued resistance to what they described as regressive fiscal policies. “We will resist any attempt to impose further hardships on Ghanaians through such ill-conceived and burdensome taxes,” they stated.
