The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) has called on the government to scrap the newly introduced GH₵1 fuel levy, urging instead for innovative strategies to tackle the country’s mounting power sector debt.
The one cedi per litre fuel levy, signed into law by President John Mahama, was designed to help pay off debts owed by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Independent Power Producers.
However, the policy has come under fire from COPEC and other stakeholders for being rushed and lacking proper consultation, particularly with Oil Marketing Companies.
Following public backlash, the Ghana Revenue Authority has postponed the levy’s implementation to June 16, 2025.
COPEC’s Executive Secretary Duncan Amoah criticized the levy, warning that it will deepen economic hardship for ordinary Ghanaians already burdened by inflation and rising fuel costs.
Mr.Amoah argued that the government should focus on eliminating inefficiencies in the power sector, such as technical losses, revenue leakages, and corruption, rather than passing the cost on to consumers.
He accused the ECG of mismanaging funds and allowing corruption to flourish, contributing significantly to the current power sector debt crisis.
According to him, the real causes of the debt include poor revenue collection, high transmission losses, and questionable use of existing resources.
COPEC is demanding accountability in ECG operations, including sanctions for staff found culpable in financial mismanagement or corrupt practices.
Ultimately, the Chamber insists that consumers should not bear the cost of institutional failures and that the government must explore smarter, fairer solutions.