Ghanaians will now pay GH¢1 on petroleum products
The government’s introduction of the GH¢1 fuel levy under the Energy Sector Levy has sparked mixed reactions among netizens on social media, who have drawn parallels to the time when E-Levy was passed under the previous government.
As a result, E-Levy is trending at number one on X on Wednesday, June 4, 2025.
The Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which imposes a GH¢1 fee on petroleum products, aims to generate additional revenue to help pay off the country’s chronic energy sector debt and ensure a stable supply of electricity.
While some netizens have welcomed the tax, others have expressed strong opposition, arguing that it may place an additional burden on Ghanaians, similar to the repealed E-Levy.
Some of those who appear to support the tax seem to believe that the GH¢1 deduction on petroleum products may be relatively insignificant, suggesting that it might not place a heavy burden on the ordinary citizen.
They have also indicated that the levy could be justifiable as it might contribute to addressing debts of the energy sector.
Those who appear to be on the opposing side have also expressed the view that the government’s repeal of the E-Levy, previously criticised as a nuisance tax, and the subsequent introduction of the GH¢1 fuel levy could be seen as inconsistent or even hypocritical.
They argue that taxes on petroleum products may not resolve the energy sector crisis, drawing parallels to the E-Levy which was initially presented as a solution to the country’s economic challenges but ultimately fell short of expectations.
Those who appear to take a neutral stance on the mixed reactions to the tax have shared the view that the government must be transparent and accountable to citizens regarding how the taxes will be used.
They added that the payment of taxes may not be the main issue for most Ghanaians; rather, the concern lies in how effectively the funds are utilised and the lack of accountability which often leads to public resistance.
Read some of the posts under the trending topic below:
1 GHC is not the same as 1%.
Deducting 1ghc from 1,000ghc = 999 GHC.
1% of 1,000ghc is 10ghc, = 990 GHC.
As the amount increases, the percentage-based deduction grows, while 1ghc remains insignificant.
This is nothing like E-levy! The Energy-sector debt left NPP be crazy!!… pic.twitter.com/iyNIFo4aBe— Albert Nat HYDE (@1BongoIdeas) June 3, 2025
Dumsor Levy replaces E-levy? My dear brother energy minister, please discontinue this dream immediately. Please there is a lot of waste in the sector you are aware of. We can help you cut ✂️ the waste now.!! Benjamin Kwabena Boakye @benboakye @BBSimons pic.twitter.com/rDmj7j7RMZ
— Franklin CUDJOE (@lordcudjoe) June 3, 2025
Ghanaians never had a problem with paying taxes , their issue has always been accountability. E Levy , D Levy or Q levy , if it’s used right Ghana will support .
— STREET IS WATCHING ON YOUTUBE (@djsliming) June 3, 2025
I ask again, what is point of coercing drivers to reduce fares only to decrease their fuel savings to one half of its original by reintroducing E-Levy or D-levy? 🤷♀️ Total balderdash 🤦♀️ pic.twitter.com/FJRkQHJlkz
— CHARLOTTE NICOLE 🕊 (@charllycolegh) June 4, 2025
NDC, we knew you’d mess up and exhibit your incompetence in our faces but we didn’t expect it to be this early 🤦♀️ scrapped E-Levy to reintroduce e-levy anaa mosee D-levy. 🤦♀️ so wait, why did you tell drivers to reduce fares though 🤷♀️ meetw3n Dec. 7 2028 mmom. pic.twitter.com/fL5LaqAw6n
— CHARLOTTE NICOLE 🕊 (@charllycolegh) June 3, 2025
Same people bashing e-levy are now supporting the dumsor levy, I love this country called Ghana 😂
— Backyard🇬🇭 (@backyard_dj) June 4, 2025
Dumsor?? What’s that? There is Dumsor???
The Government removed 1% Elevy and introduced 14% increase in Electricity.
This same Government who said 1% Elevy was a burden is taking 1cedi from every liter of fuel…
Elevy you can avoid but 1cedi for every liter of fuel? Everybody… pic.twitter.com/46jEEjz503
— Dennis Edward Aboagye (@DennisMiracles) June 3, 2025
The people who previously opposed the E-levy, calling it obnoxious and regressive to Ghanaians, are now defending the new fuel tax. Isn’t this sheer hypocrisy? You cannot fix energy crisis with taxes, just as the E-levy could not solve our problems—not today, and not tomorrow.
— Tensor (@officialsilasMD) June 4, 2025
We are not saying the additional 1gh will fix all the problems as we were told by them when they were roaming across Ghana to impose e-levy on us but this is for a specific problem we all want it fixed.
— KOJO DYNAMIC 𓃵 (@AnnanPerry) June 4, 2025
E-levy was marketed as a fiscal panecea YET it faced one of the fiercest resistance to policy I’ve ever seen.
Which is why the idea about “better communication” around the D-Levy is funny to me.
When it comes to taking money out of people’s pockets, what you want to use it…
— Ripe Chance Woods (@thejosephmireku) June 4, 2025
E-levy removed
Fuel prices reducedPay 1gh to solve a major problem you are saying the government is wicked
Ok
— MrJSM (@PromzyKingston) June 3, 2025
E-levy pro max..we told you so!
The Ghanaian will be paying an extra 4cedis 50pesewas on a gallon of any petroleum product as tax
— Hon. Charles Forson (@CharlesForsonCF) June 3, 2025
Cancel E-levy and betting tax and reintroduce another tax. 1gh on petroleum products is going to affect each and every one of us. Did we go or did we come? Azaaa aban😂
— Asamoah Ansong🇬🇭 (@AnsongAsamoah) June 3, 2025
So buying 100 liters means I’m paying 100 cedis additional? Then I’m still at the Ghc1221 again. It’s no more Ghc1051 for full tank. Herh NDC! Replacing E-Levy with this is a scam.
— Kay (@Kwesi_Agyei_) June 3, 2025
The NDC-Mahama government has introduced a new levy that is worse than the E-levy, better known as the Energy Sector ‘Dumsor’ Levy, purportedly to stabilize the power supply.
This is not what the NDC-Mahama 2024 campaign promised Ghanaians. They promised to scrap taxes and not…
— Richard Ahiagbah (@RAahiagbah) June 4, 2025
You can’t compare the regressive pickpocket e-levy to this – they’re incomparable.
— Che🇬🇭 (@CheEsquire) June 3, 2025
When I called for the e-levy and COVID levy to be maintained, it was because I thought the govt wasn’t going to introduce any new taxes, and I didn’t know how the numbers would work. People were telling me the govt’s plan to plug the hole was ORAL.
— jerome (@readJerome) June 4, 2025
Same people who criticized E-Levy are now justifying the 1 Cedi tax on fuel because it’s their party in power. Peak level hypocrisy
— Ymcmb (@FoleyEpisode) June 4, 2025
MAG/EB