channel247 online
Commercial drivers are demanding the removal of the GHC1 levy on petroleum products else they will be forced to embark on a sit-down Tuesday, June 10, 2025.
Addressing a tense press conference in Accra on Thursday, June 5, Samuel Amoah, the Deputy Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), voiced the collective outrage of over 200,000 drivers and vehicle owners nationwide.
He condemned the levy as a “unilateral decision” taken without adequate consultation, warning it would impose “untoward hardship” on the transport sector.
”This levy is unfair to us, we were not consulted and so we demand its removal else we embark on a sit-down strike on 10th June, 2025”, Mr. Amoah stressed.
The controversial levy, enshrined in the recently assented Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was passed by Parliament this week.
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has argued that the new levy is crucial to generate an estimated GH¢5.7 billion in revenue to reduce the nation’s ballooning energy sector debt, which stands at US$3.1 billion as of March 2025.
He also cited the need for an additional US$1.2 billion to procure fuel for thermal power generation throughout 2025.
The Minister had assured that the recent gains made by the Ghana Cedi would absorb the levy’s impact, preventing an immediate increase in ex-pump prices.
However, transport operators remain unconvinced, asserting that any additional burden on fuel costs will inevitably translate into higher fares, impacting every facet of the Ghanaian economy, from daily commutes to the movement of goods and services.
A nationwide transport strike could cripple economic activity, disrupt supply chains, and strand millions of citizens, presenting an immediate crisis for the government.
Source: channel247online.com
