The Acting Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Gaming Commission of Ghana, Lamtiig A. Apanga, has cautioned that calls for the immediate removal of the one-cedi fuel levy may be premature, urging a careful assessment of its timing and potential economic impact.
Speaking on The Big Issue on Channel One TV on Saturday, March 21, Mr Apanga acknowledged that the levy has largely achieved its intended objectives, including stabilising the energy sector and clearing legacy debts.
However, he stressed that scrapping the levy now could have serious repercussions for the economy.
“I must say that the call for removal is not out of place, but the timing and appropriateness of the discussion must be carefully considered. We have also observed a relative stability in Ghana’s power supply, which has largely been achieved through payments to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) using funds generated from the one-cedi fuel levy.
“These payments have enabled the IPPs to continue fueling their plants and providing electricity to the nation.
“Think about it carefully. We have a situation where fuel prices are already high, and then we’re going to face a potential power crisis in addition. I mean, our economy will practically shut down,” he said.
He added that the Ministry of Finance is monitoring the situation closely and will review the levy at the appropriate time.
“There may be a time to review it, but particularly at this stage, I think it’s a bit too early. The introduction of that levy has helped to solve some problems. We may have to endure an additional cost just for a few more months or a few more years to be able to stabilise,” he added.
His comments come amid renewed debate over the GH₵1 Energy Sector Levy, which some critics argue is no longer necessary since the debts it was introduced to address have reportedly been cleared. With fuel prices already high, concerns are growing about the impact on households and businesses.
