Bawumia Slams NDC: ‘Dumsor Levy Costs Eight Times More Than E-Levy’”

“Dumsor Levy Is 8 Times the E-Levy” – Bawumia Criticises NDC.

Former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has taken a swipe at the National Democratic Congress (NDC) over the newly introduced fuel levy, describing it as significantly more burdensome than the E-Levy, which was previously repealed.

Speaking during the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) ‘Thank You’ tour in the Central Region on June 4, Dr. Bawumia questioned the rationale behind the GHS1 charge on every litre of petroleum products, which was approved by Parliament on June 3.

“This so-called Dumsor Levy is eight times more than the E-Levy that they criticised,” Dr. Bawumia stated, referencing the NDC’s earlier opposition to the E-Levy when it was introduced by the previous government.

The new levy, according to Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, aims to support the heavily indebted energy sector by providing reliable funding for fuel purchases to sustain power generation. He assured the public that the recent appreciation of the cedi would help absorb the cost and prevent a spike in fuel prices.

Despite the government’s justification, the Minority in Parliament walked out during the vote, accusing the ruling party of breaking its promise not to introduce new taxes as captured in the 2025 budget. The move has since triggered a strong reaction from the public and sparked widespread debate.

Oforikrom MP and Energy Committee member Michael Aidoo described the GHS1 levy as too high, suggesting it should have been pegged at 20 or 30 pesewas. Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin also criticised the government for backtracking on its own policy position.

However, former Energy Minister Dr. Kwabena Donkor defended the levy, calling it a crucial step toward resolving the sector’s ballooning debt and avoiding future power supply challenges.