The Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), Duncan Amoah, has backed the Minority in Parliament’s call for the scrapping of the GH₵1 levy on petroleum products, describing their concerns as genuine.
He, however, urged caution, stressing that while the call to remove the levy is valid, a broader and more sustainable approach is needed to address challenges in the petroleum sector.
“You may not like a minority, you may disagree with them but the call that they have added their voices to is genuine,” Amoah said.
However, he noted that although removing or rationalising fuel taxes is feasible in the short term, it would not provide a lasting solution to Ghana’s long-term economic and fuel pricing challenges.
“The only difference I would have to that call at this point would be the way forward… If we just go flat, let’s rationalise the taxes or justify or take them off, it is feasible, it is doable but over the long stretch we will still not be able to get what Ghanaians aspire or ask for,” he added.
The Minority has been pressing the government to immediately scrap the GH₵1 levy on petroleum products, arguing that it has become an unnecessary burden on consumers, especially amid rising global oil prices driven by geopolitical tensions.
They contend that with the government having cleared energy sector debts and stabilised key financial obligations, the justification for the levy no longer holds.
Fuel prices in Ghana remain high, with diesel and petrol trading at elevated levels in recent pricing windows, partly due to taxes and levies embedded in the price build-up.
COPEC is calling for a more comprehensive policy response that balances immediate relief for consumers with long-term reforms to ensure stability in the petroleum sector.
