Dumsor Levy ‘more than E-Levy’; NPP's opposition justified – Kofi Bentil

Kofi Bentil, Vice President of IMANI Africa, supports the NPP's rejection of the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025. He believes the new surcharge is more burdensome than the criticized E-Levy.

On JoyNews' Newsfile programme on June 7, Bentil questioned if the levy would help Ghana’s energy crisis. He stated that if it could solve the crisis, he would support it. However, he feels it is worse than the E-Levy and that the NPP has a right to oppose it.

His comments reflect public concern about the financial strain this levy may cause. Citizens and businesses are already facing challenges during a fragile economic recovery.

Recently, Parliament passed the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill urgently. This bill introduces a GH¢1 per litre surcharge on petroleum products.

Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson explained that this measure aims to raise funds for a US$3.1 billion debt in the energy sector. It also seeks an additional US$1.2 billion for fuel procurement in 2025.

The Minority Caucus in Parliament condemned the levy as a “predatory tax.” They warned it could drain GH¢5.7 billion annually from the economy.

They accused the government of rushing through this bill without proper consultation or transparency about fund usage.