The Minority Caucus in Parliament has condemned the Mahama administration, accusing it of betrayal and incompetence following the indefinite suspension of the controversial Energy Sector Levies (Amendment) Act, 2025 — widely dubbed the ‘Dumsor Levy.’
The levy, which was set to take effect on June 16, 2025, was abruptly halted by the Ghana Revenue Authority following the outbreak of war between Iran and Israel in the Middle East. But the Minority argue the decision to suspend it — rather than repeal it — is a “shameful U-turn” and a “deceptive ploy” by a government running out of credibility.
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Minority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin minced no words, describing the reversal as “a glaring symbol of incompetence, hypocrisy, and chaotic leadership,” lambasting the administration for what he called intellectual dishonesty and dangerous economic insensitivity.
Dumsor Levy
“At a time when Ghanaians are battling unbearable living costs, the imposition of yet another fuel levy is not just tone-deaf — it’s economically destructive,” the Minority said in a statement.
Afenyo-Markin accused the Mahama-led government of adopting the very strategies and excuses it condemned in opposition, calling it “the peak of political deception.”
“Within months of assuming office, this administration is parroting the same excuses — blaming global events like the Middle East crisis to cover up domestic mismanagement. It is profoundly hypocritical,” he charged.
The Minority also criticized the lack of stakeholder engagement before the levy’s passage, describing the process as a “reckless experiment in governance-by-guesswork.”
They are now calling for an immediate repeal of the law, not a suspension, insisting anything short of full withdrawal will be fiercely resisted by both Parliament and the Ghanaian public.
“We demand that the repeal bill be laid before Parliament under a certificate of urgency. Delay tactics or cosmetic revisions will not be tolerated,” Afenyo-Markin declared.
He further accused the government of failing the energy sector, citing a deteriorating power supply situation and the abandonment of strategic reforms such as the Loss Reduction Programme initiated under former President Akufo-Addo.
While thousands of communities still lack access to prepaid meters, the Minority says the Electricity Company of Ghana has been left in a dysfunctional state, with private contractors sidelined and inefficiencies worsening.
“The public continues to suffer erratic power while the government dithers. This is a complete betrayal of their promises,” the Minority noted, warning that punitive taxes and poor energy stewardship will be met with fierce resistance.
“The Dumsor Levy must not be paused — it must be scrapped entirely,” Afenyo-Markin insisted, urging Ghanaians to rise and demand accountability.
The Minority has vowed to block any future attempts to introduce what they describe as “regressive and exploitative taxes” and demanded that Energy Minister John Jinapor immediately present all energy policy documents to Parliament for scrutiny.
By Osumanu Al-Hassan/thenewsbulletin24.com