Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, is demanding the immediate and total repeal of the Energy Sector Levies (Amendment) Act, 2025 — widely referred to as the “Dumsor Levy” .
The lawmaker is describing the government’s indefinite postponement of the controversial tax as “a shameful retreat” and an “insulting half-measure.”
In a strongly worded statement issued, the Effutu MP lashed out at the government’s handling of the levy, which was initially set to take effect on June 16, but was indefinitely postponed following consultations by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
“This postponement is not a solution. It is a shameful retreat that exposes this government’s incompetence and hypocrisy,” Afenyo-Markin declared.
He accused the government of rushing the legislation without adequate stakeholder engagement, claiming the reversal reflects poor planning and “trial-and-error governance.”
“It shows they didn’t consult properly. They rushed the law, and now they’re forced to backtrack,” he said.
The Minority Leader further criticised the government for what he called political dishonesty, pointing out that it was now using the Middle East conflict as an excuse after previously dismissing the Minority’s references to global shocks such as COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war.
“This is the same administration that berated us for pointing to global shocks. Now they are doing the exact same thing? That is the height of political dishonesty,” he argued.
Afenyo-Markin also described the fuel levy as a betrayal of President Mahama’s promises to bring economic relief. “Here we are, with a government that wants to tax fuel in the middle of an economic crisis. It’s unacceptable,” he said.
The government has claimed the levy would help stabilize the energy sector and address longstanding debts. However, Afenyo-Markin dismissed this rationale as hollow, asserting that similar goals were achieved under former President Akufo-Addo without imposing new fuel taxes.
“Akufo-Addo ran a stable power sector without burdening Ghanaians with more taxes. Why can’t this government do the same?” he questioned.
He also pointed to systemic inefficiencies within the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), rather than funding gaps, as the true cause of Ghana’s ongoing power challenges.
“There are expired meters still in use. People are consuming electricity without paying due to faulty systems. It’s not tax money we need — it’s real reform,” he emphasized.
Afenyo-Markin criticised the Ministry of Energy for halting the Loss Reduction Programme initiated under the previous administration, which he claimed could have addressed metering shortages and improved revenue collection.
“You have companies ready to supply meters, but the programme is frozen. Meanwhile, communities are crying for meters. Where is the leadership?” he asked.
Calling for urgent parliamentary action, the Minority Leader urged that the Energy Sector Levies (Amendment) Act, 2025, be repealed immediately through a certificate of urgency.
“Any half measure will not be accepted — not by us, not by the people,” he warned.
He ended his statement with a rallying cry to the Ghanaian public: “Join us in resisting this wicked levy. We cannot allow this government to break its promises and worsen our pain.”
 Act, 2025){kind=link}