The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has raised strong concerns about the newly introduced GH¢1 fuel levy, describing it as a significant financial burden on professional drivers.
Speaking on Morning Starr with Naa Dedei Tettey, GPRTU Public Relations Officer Abass Imoro described the levy as excessive, stating that a smaller amount — such as 20 pesewas — would have been more reasonable.
He noted that while the union supports efforts to fix the energy sector, the current approach could worsen the financial strain on drivers.
Abass Imoro explained that for commercial drivers who purchase large volumes of fuel daily, the new tax could amount to hundreds of cedis a month.
He confirmed that GPRTU are meeting to further assess the impact of the levy and decide on the next steps.
“We, just yesterday, came up with a fair reduction on lorry fares. The next fuel window, we saw a reduction. Seeing brightness ahead of us, just for those in authority to turn around and say, yes, there is a debt, and that they have to introduce a slur by one cedi per litre. A professional driver, one cedi per litre is a lot of money for a professional driver. If fuel is being reduced by 20 per cent, we are happy we get a little relief.”
“To the extent of one cedi per litre, you can imagine it. Yes, as transport operators, we want to have clear conscience towards it, because one city per litre is a lot of money for a professional driver. So, this one city times 4.5, times the number of gallons you buy, times 26 working days, you think it’s can be small money? So, we definitely want to be sure of what they have told us.”
The levy, introduced under the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was passed by Parliament on Tuesday, June 3, which imposes a GH¢1 tax on every litre of petroleum product.
Government officials have defended the move, calling it a critical intervention to rescue the country’s ailing energy sector, which is currently saddled with a legacy debt of approximately $3.1 billion.
According to Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the levy will not cause fuel prices to rise due to recent gains in the value of the cedi.
He added that the proceeds will be dedicated to purchasing fuel for electricity generation to minimise outages and stabilise the national grid.
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Despite these assurances, the levy has drawn sharp criticism from the Minority in Parliament and various stakeholders, who argue it adds further pressure on already burdened consumers.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Hamdia Mohammed
