Duncan Amoah, Executive Director of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), has averred President John Dramani Mahama would earn his vote if elections were held today.
The reason for this endorsement stems from the government’s decision to suspend the GHC1 levy on petroleum products indefinitely, following the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
According to Amoah, the Israel-Iran conflict has reduced the global crude supply by 25%, resulting in a US$12 upward adjustment per barrel.
Following the potential impact, Mr. Amoah says oil sector players advised the government on the ramifications for taxpayers if the new levy were implemented.
The Energy Sector Levies (Amendment) Act, 2025, aimed to stabilise the power sector and service legacy debts, according to the government.
Speaking on the BigIssue on TV3’s NewDay Monday, June 16, 2025, the COPEC boss welcomed the suspension of the levy, describing the administration as a “listening government.”
He added that this decision would earn them his vote if elections were held today. “…and so we put up a notice, the government listened and decided not to implement the GHC1 levy any longer. That, for us, is a listening government, and I would say this morning, if elections were held this morning, I would vote for President John Dramani Mahama again for just listening to Ghanaians on this one,” he stated.
He further described the decision by the leadership of the respective government agencies—the Finance Ministry, Energy Ministry, and GRA—to suspend the levy as “reasonable and wise thinking, sound judgment.”
Amoah explained that without the suspension, there would have been chaos, and the goodwill the government had gained in its few months in office would have been wiped out.
He asserted that the administration deserves a “thumbs up” for the gesture.
“Things would have escalated, they haven’t as yet, government doesn’t want to add to the pressures that were already felt.
“Again, if you have the situation where the international market prices go up and you add the one Ghana cedi, you would simply have wiped out every gain that the government would have made over the past five months and so as a listening government, I think it has done well and so I give them a thumbs up,” he explained.
GHC1 fuel levy: We demand withdrawal now, not postponement – Afenyo-Markin
