The Member of Parliament for Effia, Isaac Boamah Nyarko, has described the recent approval of the GH₵1 increase on the Energy Sector Levy as an unpopular, huge and poorly handled decision by the government.
This comes amid growing controversy following the passage of the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which authorises the upward adjustment of the levy on petroleum products. The increase has sparked public backlash, with concerns about its impact on the already burdened cost of living.
In an interview on Channel One Newsroom on Wednesday, June 4, Nyarko expressed disapproval over the manner in which the policy was introduced and passed, stating that the decision lacked transparency and parliamentary consensus.
He questioned the timing and communication strategy, warning that such decisions, when imposed without public buy-in, only erode trust in leadership and increase economic discontent.
“The few meetings we had with the Minister for Energy, it never came up, so this was a very big surprise to us as parliament and as a people. If you check the proceedings of yesterday, the minority leader had cause to complain to the leadership of the Majority that this never came up during the conclave when they had to plan the business of the day.
“So I think it was just one of the strategies of the government to take advantage of what is happening within the economic spectrum of the country to spring a surprise on Ghanaians. This was a very critical policy direction of the government, and it required a lot of tactfulness, energy and conversation. So the need to have passed it under a certificate of urgency was quite problematic,” he said.
The GHS1 fuel levy, introduced under the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, is expected to generate GHS5.7 billion annually. The government has pledged that all revenue from the levy will be ring-fenced for critical energy-related expenditures, including debt repayment and fuel procurement, ensuring a stable power supply.
However, the bill’s passage was met with resistance from the Minority Caucus. Members walked out during the vote, arguing that the Majority side lacked the quorum necessary to legally approve the measure. The Minority also criticised the levy as ill-timed and burdensome for Ghanaians.
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