The Policy Lead for Petroleum and Conventional Energy at the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Kodzo Yaotse, has criticised the reintroduction of the controversial Energy Sector Levies (Amendment) Act, 2025, describing it as deceptive and unnecessary.
Speaking to ABC News GH on Wednesday, Mr. Yaotse questioned the rationale behind what he calls a “recycled levy,” warning that the government is merely piling on taxes without solving the root issues in the energy sector.
“When you already have a sector levy that is meant to fix that same problem, what then is the point of introducing a new one?What happens to the old levy that was also supposed to clear the same debt?” he quizzed.
His comments follow confirmation by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) that the so-called “Dumsor levy” will take effect from Tuesday, July 16, 2025, after a temporary suspension in June.
The GRA says the updated Act 1141 is intended to generate critical revenue to stabilize the country’s energy infrastructure and settle ballooning sector debts.
According to a statement signed by Acting Commissioner-General Anthony Akwasi Sarpong, the decision was reached after consultations with the Ministries of Finance and Energy and a “thorough review of prevailing market indicators.”
All importers, fuel distributors, and customs agents have been directed to ensure full compliance via the updated Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS).
But ACEP’s Kodzo Yaotse insists that these repeated levies are evidence of policy inconsistency and lack of accountability.
“We are not really fixing a problem. We are just creating the impression of fixing something, when in reality, the burden keeps shifting to consumers while the inefficiencies and debts remain,” he stressed.
