As Ghana gears up for the rollout of a new GH¢1 fuel levy on July 16, two key transport and energy advocacy bodies—the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) and the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC)—are urging the government to provide clear communication on the policy’s timeline and purpose, to prevent long-term financial strain on ordinary Ghanaians.
Initially resistant to the levy, the GPRTU now says it has softened its stance after engaging stakeholders. However, the union maintains that the government must not keep the levy in place indefinitely. Abass Imoro, GPRTU’s Industrial Relations Officer, stressed that while transport operators understand the need for economic reforms, they must also see profitability in their operations.
“We want to know how long this will last—six months, one year? We cannot work forever without knowing when this deduction ends,” Imoro stated in an interview. He added that while the current pricing environment offers slight relief—diesel prices edged up marginally while petrol dipped—any future hikes could force transport fare increases.
COPEC echoed these sentiments, warning against turning the levy into a permanent component of fuel pricing. Executive Secretary Duncan Amoah emphasized the importance of transparency, insisting that the revenue be dedicated to strengthening Ghana’s struggling energy and power sectors.
“This GH¢1 levy should not follow the trend of previous taxes that stayed in the pricing structure permanently,” Amoah said. “We should work towards full cost recovery in the energy sector and move towards deregulation so that the system can sustain itself.”
Meanwhile, the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies says preparations are underway for the July 16 implementation. Yet, its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Riverson Oppong, noted that price fluctuations globally and locally make it difficult to determine the levy’s actual impact on fuel prices.
“It’s premature to forecast fuel price changes with certainty. Market conditions are still volatile,” he explained.
As implementation day approaches, stakeholders are aligning on one key demand: that the GH¢1 levy must be accountable, time-bound, and not evolve into a long-term burden on transport operators and consumers.
