Fuel Levy Necessary To Stabilise Economy - Nii Lante Vanderpuye

The National Coordinator of the District Road Improvement Programme, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has welcomed the rollout of the GH₵1 per litre fuel levy, describing it as a necessary step toward stabilising the economy and addressing Ghana’s energy challenges. Speaking on Thursday, Vanderpuye expressed gratitude for the reintroduction of the levy, stating that it has the potential to ease the financial burden on the government and improve fuel price stability. I think all of us sat here and agreed that it is a good move if it will continue to make the economy better and make the prices of fuel stay or even lower.

I think it was suspended for a reason. If it is coming into effect, I thank God because it will help us raise the necessary revenue to take care of the debt that accrued from our power supply and also help the government meet the cost differentials in bringing in fuel to power our generators, he stated. The fuel levy officially took effect on Wednesday, July 16, as part of efforts to raise funds for Ghana’s struggling power sector. The government argues that the measure is essential to cover outstanding energy sector debts and finance fuel imports needed for power generation.

Despite this, the policy has sparked sharp criticism from some quarters. Ranking Member of Parliament’s Economy and Development Committee, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has reiterated his opposition to the levy, arguing that it is already pushing fuel prices higher and placing additional pressure on consumers. He warned that the move validates earlier concerns raised by the Minority, which cautioned that the levy could worsen the cost of living and erode the purchasing power of Ghanaians.