The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) has expressed reservations about the government’s decision to roll out new fuel tax levies.
According to its Executive Secretary, Duncan Amoah, Ghanaians are already paying too much for petroleum products and should not be overburdened with new fuel taxes.
Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, Mr Amoah noted there were more critical issues that needed to be looked at.
He explained there were loopholes in the revenue generation of the State that the government needs to find solutions to rather than bringing in new levies.
“I think that if the Finance Ministry channels its energies to sealing the revenue loopholes, we will be able to get far. About GHS1.9 billion can be saved,” he bemoaned.
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His comments come after Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Caretaker Finance Minister and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, announced, through the 2021 budget, a new tax on petroleum products among others.
The government’s intention is to charge 10 pesewas on a litre of petrol/diesel under the Energy Sector Levies Act to manage sanitation and pollution challenges in the country.
There is also a 30 pesewas increase in fuel prices to take care of excess power capacity charges.
If the proposal is accepted, Ghanaians will see further increases in petroleum prices at the pump.