The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers Ghana (COPEC) is urging government to enact legislation to support the President’s directive cancelling fuel allowances for all government appointees.
COPEC described the move as a necessary step toward fiscal discipline and public accountability.
The call follows a recent directive from the Presidency aimed at cutting state spending and redirecting resources toward critical national development priorities. The cancellation of fuel allowances, according to COPEC, could save the nation more than GHS120 million annually.
Speaking to 3 Business on July 18, COPEC’s Executive Secretary, Duncan Amoah, welcomed the directive but stressed the need for a legal framework to ensure its full implementation and long-term enforcement.
“The government should ensure that the cancellation of the fuel allowances for political appointees is made into law,” Amoah said, adding that transparency and accountability must accompany the policy shift.
He further suggested that the projected savings should be earmarked for specific development projects to ensure direct benefits to the public and to build trust in government reforms.
The Presidency has justified the directive by highlighting the need for leadership to set an example, particularly at a time when ordinary Ghanaians are being asked to make sacrifices amid ongoing economic pressures.
The move has been widely welcomed by civil society organisations and sections of the public as a sign of commitment to fiscal prudence, though calls for legal backing indicate growing demands for institutional safeguards to prevent future policy reversals.
