The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, has criticized the government for introducing the Energy Sector Levy Amendment Bill, arguing that it is essentially a reintroduction of E-levy which was previously scraped.
The bill, presented by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, seeks to impose GH₵1 per litre on fuel, aiming to address financial challenges in the energy sector, including debt repayment and funding for thermal power plants.
Afenyo-Markin accused the government of misleading Ghanaians by pretending to remove taxes while introducing new ones.
However, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga defended the bill, stating that it is not the E-Levy, but rather a necessary measure to stabilize the energy sector and end ‘dumsor’.
He emphasized that the levy would have minimal impact on consumers due to the recent appreciation of the Ghanaian cedi.
The bill has been referred to the Finance Committee for further review.
