Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin is demanding the immediate and total repeal of the Energy Sector Levies (Amendment) Act, 2025, popularly called the “Dumsor Levy”.

The Effutu MP insists that the government’s indefinite postponement of its implementation is an insulting half-measure.

“This postponement is not a solution. It is a shameful retreat that exposes this government’s incompetence and hypocrisy,” he declared in a statement on Saturday.

The Ghana Revenue Authority had announced that the levy’s implementation, originally scheduled for June 16, had been indefinitely postponed after consultations.

But Afenyo-Markin says this only proves how poorly planned and badly executed the policy is.

“It shows they didn’t consult properly. They rushed the law, and now they’re forced to backtrack. That’s trial-and-error governance,” he said.

He accused the government of doing the very thing it once criticised.

“This is the same administration that berated us for pointing to global shocks like COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war. Now they are using the Middle East crisis as an excuse? That is the height of political dishonesty.”

Mr Afenyo-Markin didn’t hold back on what he sees as betrayal.

“President Mahama promised to bring relief, not more taxes. Yet here we are, with a government that wants to tax fuel during an economic crisis. It’s unacceptable.”

The Minority is not impressed with the reasoning behind the levy.

The government had claimed the funds would help stabilise the power sector and service legacy debts.

But Mr Afenyo-Markin said this justification is hollow.

“Akufo-Addo ran a stable power sector without burdening Ghanaians with more taxes. Why can’t this government do the same?”

He stressed that the postponement is a diversion.

“Don’t use the delay to buy time or blame the power crisis on our call to repeal the law. The worsening dumsor is your doing, not because the tax is suspended.”

He pointed to deep-rooted problems at the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) as the real issue.

“There are expired meters still in use. People are consuming power without paying because of defective systems. It’s not tax money we need — it’s reforms.”

He called out the Ministry of Energy for abandoning the Loss Reduction Programme that was designed under the Akufo-Addo administration.

“You have companies ready to supply meters, but the programme is frozen. Meanwhile, communities are crying for meters. Where is the leadership?”

The Minority Leader insists Parliament must be brought back to repeal the levy without delay.

“We demand a certificate of urgency to reverse this cruel policy completely. Any half measure will not be accepted — not by us, not by the people.”

He ended with a call to Ghanaians to “Join us in resisting this wicked levy. We cannot allow this government to break its promises and worsen our pain.”

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