Gov’t taking GH¢2 fuel levy, not GH¢1 as claimed – Energy Analyst Kwadwo Poku alleges

Energy analyst Kwadwo Poku has accused the government of misleading Ghanaians. He claims the true cost of the new petroleum levy is GH¢2.00 per litre, not GH¢1.00.

On JoyNews’ AM Show, Mr. Poku explained that existing and new levies total almost GH¢2.00 for petrol and diesel.

“The government is collecting GH¢2, not GH¢1,” he stated. He noted that the budget already included 95 pesewas. With this new addition, the total levy is ¢1.95 on petrol and ¢1.93 on diesel.

He warned that this increase could lead to over one billion dollars in annual revenue from petroleum taxes. This would further burden consumers already facing high electricity bills.

Mr. Poku criticized the Ministry of Finance for poor fiscal planning and unrealistic budget assumptions.

“There seems to be a problem at the Ministry of Finance,” he said. The Minister knew projections were based on an exchange rate of 15.4 but now faces a 30% revenue shortfall.

He also questioned the Certificate of Urgency used to pass the levy in Parliament, arguing it does not address energy sector issues.

“This is simply about taxing Ghanaians to fund its budget,” he argued. “We must not frame this as an energy-sector conversation.”

The government's new levy has received mixed reactions from civil society, industry experts, and the public. Many are struggling with high living costs and increased utility tariffs.