The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Economy and Development Committee, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has reiterated his call for the government to scrap the controversial GH¢1 per litre fuel levy, warning that its implementation is already leading to fuel price increases—just as the Minority previously warned.

Speaking on Citi Eyewitness News on Wednesday, July 16, Oppong Nkrumah criticised the government for forcing the levy through Parliament without adequate scrutiny or stakeholder engagement. He maintained that the policy is exacerbating the cost of living crisis for many Ghanaians.

“We continue to encourage the government to drop this levy,” he said. “The very concerns we raised weeks ago, which they dismissed, are now becoming evident.”

The GH¢1 fuel levy, which officially took effect on July 16, was introduced to support the country’s underperforming power sector. However, it has faced backlash from the Minority in Parliament and from key players in the transport and petroleum sectors, who argue that it is ill-timed and detrimental to already struggling consumers.

Oppong Nkrumah noted that the Energy Minister had previously assured the public that the levy would not result in fuel price hikes, even calling it a “smart and innovative” initiative. But he says that assurance has proven to be inaccurate.

“We pointed out from the beginning that the math didn’t add up,” he said. “We warned that prices could increase by an average of 8% as a result of the levy. Now that it's being implemented, we’re beginning to see exactly that—fuel prices creeping up by the same margin we predicted.”

He added that despite several postponements, the levy’s impact is now being felt at the pump, and he urged the government to reconsider its decision in light of the mounting public concern.