Former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has condemned the government for introducing a new tax after campaigning against the Electronic transaction levy (E-levy) and scrapping it eventually.
Dr. Bawumia says the government has deceived Ghanaians through deceptive campaign promises and implementing something contrary to what they promised in opposition.
During his ‘Thank You’ tour address in Cape Coast Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in the Central region, the 2024 flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) criticised the government for introducing what he calls “dumsor levy”.
“The NDC has told a lot of lies. Everyone sees their lies every day. Last night, I hope you all saw it. They have introduced a dumsor Levy,” he stated, adding that the new levy has far reaching consequences on the citizenry than the scrapped E-levy.
“Initially, they said they would scrap the E-Levy we had introduced, and they’ve done that. But now, they have introduced the Dumsor Levy, and it is eight times the E-Levy. Now, when you buy one litre of petrol, you will pay one cedi as tax,” he said.
He demonstrated how the energy sector levy has far reaching consequences on the citizenry than the scrapped e-levy.
“If you buy 1,000 cedis worth of fuel, you will pay 83 cedis as tax. With the E-Levy, if you sent 1,000 cedis to someone, you would only pay 10 cedis. But under them, for 1,000 cedis worth of fuel, you’ll pay 83 cedis.”
Dr. Bawumia told the gathering to brace themselves up for more taxes, adding that the NPP would soon be called upon to come and rescue Ghanaians from the NDC.
“And more is yet to come. By the time we get to 2028, Ghanaians will see that they have truly lied to us” “I believe that by then, they will ask us to come back and govern Ghana properly,” he added.
Bawumia’s criticism comes on the back of the passage of the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, by Parliament on Tuesday, June 3, 2025.
This adds an additional GHC1.00 levy per litre of petroleum products, which the government says is expected to generate an additional 5.7 billion Ghana Cedis in revenue to help reduce energy sector debts and support stable power supply by curbing dumsor.
Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, explained that Ghana’s energy sector debt currently stands at US$3.1 billion, and will require US$3.7 billion dollars to clear it.
According to him, an additional US$1.2 billion will be needed by the government to purchase fuel to power Ghana’s thermal power generation for the year 2025.
The Minister clarified on the floor of Parliament that the rise in the levy will not result in increase in the ex-pump price of fuel.
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