Energy sector woes can't be fixed through new taxes – Duncan Amoah

Mr. Duncan Amoah is the Executive Secretary of COPEC. He has serious concerns about the new GH¢1 fuel levy. He believes taxation won't solve the energy sector's long-standing issues.

On JoyNews’ AM Show, Mr. Amoah criticized the government's strategy. He argued that this levy isn't an effective solution for energy problems.

"I will not be convinced that just coming to collect money at the pump gives you a solution," he stated.

He pointed out that despite funds from the Energy Sector Levy Act (ESLA), major issues remain. These include power generation shortfalls, rising debts, and operational inefficiencies.

"In 2016, we asked for ESLA to address these very excuses," he said. "Ten years of collecting ESLA shows that taxing people won't resolve these challenges."

Mr. Amoah urged the government to consider reforms instead of imposing new taxes. He emphasized the need for transparency, accountability, and efficiency in energy management.

"If you want to fix energy sector issues, merely collecting money won't help," he argued. "If it did, we wouldn't still be facing these problems after ten years."

The GH¢1 Energy Sector Recovery Levy was approved by Parliament on June 3. Energy Minister John Jinapor announced it as part of efforts to stabilize the energy sector.