E-Levy Was A Choice But ‘Dumsor Levy’ Is A Quantum Leap – Atik Slams Mahama
Atik Mohammed, a socio-economic analyst, has kicked against the government’s levy on petroleum products.
Parliament, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, approved an Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, introducing a GH¢1 levy on petroleum products.
The bill intends to raise additional revenues to cushion the energy sector in order to avert any impending power crisis, locally called “dumsor”.
The sector is said to have incurred huge debt in excess of US$3.7 billion.
Atik Mohammed, speaking on Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo” show, described the GH¢1 levy as a quantum leap, stressing it will adversely affect drivers and commuters.
“This is not the first time we are doing an amendment. When you consolidate all of them, they come up to 20 pesewas. Now, you are moving from 20 pesewas to 1 cedi, this is more than a quantum leap”, he stated.
He noted that the new levy will result in “price hikes in electricity, petrol, LPG”.
Comparing the fuel levy, locally referred to as “dumsor levy”, to the repealed E-Levy, he said; “E-Levy was a matter of choice. It is if I decide to do electronic transactions that i will be deducted but whether I buy fuel or not, i will sit in a car…Even if I don’t have a car, I pick a trotro.”
On the argument that the 1 cedi levy will help the government to pay off the energy sector debt, Atik exclaimed; “We can never have a situation whereby the sector will be free of debt. It’s not possible.”
Source: Ghmessenger.com
