Instead of relief, we’re seeing more economic burden — Minority

Fuel prices have surged nearly 10 per cent following the government’s introduction of a GH¢1 tax on every litre of petrol and diesel.

Now, the Minority in Parliament says their earlier warnings are being proven right.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, former Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said that the tax, presented as a debt recovery levy, has directly resulted in higher fuel costs and worsening economic hardship.

“The first thing to note today is that the warnings we gave have, unfortunately, seen the light of day. We warned that, contrary to the government’s claim, this levy would hike fuel prices by 8% from day one,” he stated.

He added that the ripple effect would extend beyond the pumps, pushing costs up across sectors like agriculture, transport, and food production.

Local pump prices are averaging GH¢13.49 per litre in Accra, with some stations selling petrol at GH¢13.69 and diesel at GH¢14.30, according to COPEC.

Oppong Nkrumah noted that rising global crude prices could further amplify the impact and called for a review of fuel-related levies.

“We’re going to show how many of those levies have outlived their usefulness and ask the government to pull back, so that Ghanaians can benefit,” he said.