The Minority Caucus in Parliament has launched a fierce critique of the Mahama-led administration, demanding the immediate repeal of the controversial “Dumsor Levy” under the Energy Sector Levies (Amendment) Act, 2025.
This follows an 11th-hour decision by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to indefinitely suspend the implementation of the levy just a day before its scheduled rollout on June 16.
In a strongly worded statement released on Sunday, June 15, the Minority condemned the sudden U-turn as “evidence of chaos and inconsistency in the government’s economic management.”
“This eleventh-hour U-turn epitomises a trial-and-error strategy and reveals a disturbing lack of stakeholder engagement,” the statement said.
The Minority also blasted the government’s explanation—blaming global crude oil price instability due to the Israel-Iran conflict—as “hypocritical,” pointing out that the same administration had previously criticised its predecessors for citing global factors.
Calling the suspension “wholly inadequate,” the Minority demanded that Parliament be urgently recalled to repeal the levy entirely.
“At a time when Ghanaians are grappling with unbearable living costs, imposing additional fuel taxes is reckless and unjust,” they stressed.
Rejecting the rationale that the levy was intended to stabilise the energy sector and pay off legacy debts, the Caucus argued that previous governments ensured reliable power without burdening citizens with punitive taxes.
They further accused the government of hiding behind the levy to mask deeper issues like inefficiencies at the ECG, poor metering systems, and the abandonment of key energy reforms.
“The energy crisis is not because of the lack of this levy, but because of leadership failure,” they added.
The Minority concluded by warning the government against betraying its electoral promises and pledged to oppose any policy that worsens the economic hardship of ordinary Ghanaians.