Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has backed the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in its rejection of the controversial Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025—arguing that the new surcharge on petroleum products is even more burdensome than the much-maligned E-Levy.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, June 7, Bentil expressed serious doubts about the effectiveness of the levy in resolving Ghana’s long-standing energy sector crisis.
“All I am saying is that if this was going to solve the energy sector crisis, I would support it. But it is more than the E-Levy, so the NPP have a right to be up against it,” he stated.
His remarks reflect growing public concern about the financial pressure the new levy could impose on ordinary Ghanaians and businesses, especially in the context of a fragile economic recovery.
The Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, passed under a certificate of urgency, introduces a GH¢1 per litre surcharge on petroleum products. The Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has defended the measure, saying it is necessary to raise revenue to address a US$3.1 billion debt in the energy sector and secure US$1.2 billion worth of fuelfor power generation in 2025.
However, the Minority Caucus in Parliament has slammed the new levy as a “predatory tax,” warning it could extract up to GH¢5.7 billion annually from the economy. They have also accused the government of pushing the bill through hastily, without sufficient consultation or transparency about how the funds will be allocated.
As the backlash mounts, the Dumsor Levy continues to stir heated national debate over Ghana’s fiscal priorities, energy sustainability, and citizen burden.