A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) communications team in the Upper East Region, Francis Adingo, has defended the government’s one cedi fuel levy, rejecting calls by the Minority for its suspension.
The Minority had urged the government to scrap the levy to ease the burden on citizens amid rising fuel prices linked to tensions in the Middle East.
Speaking on A1 Radio, Adingo dismissed the call, arguing that the levy serves a critical purpose in addressing long-standing challenges in the energy sector. He explained that the policy was introduced to help clear inherited debts and ensure stability in power supply.
According to him, the government has made significant progress in settling obligations to power producers, contributing to improved electricity stability across the country. He maintained that the levy is part of broader efforts to restore and sustain the energy sector, rather than a response to fluctuations in global fuel prices.
“The purpose of the one cedi levy was not because fuel prices will increase or decrease on the world market. It was introduced to deal with the debts left in the energy sector,” he said.
He added that government’s financial management has enabled it to settle outstanding debts.
“As we speak, the president stated in the State of the Nation Address that we no longer owe power-producing companies. These debts have been cleared through prudent economic management,” he said.
Adingo also criticized the opposition, accusing them of failing to offer constructive criticism. He said national issues require cooperation rather than partisan attacks.
“We expected a responsible opposition that would offer constructive criticism for the good of the country, but that has not been the case,” he said.
He further noted that current fuel price increases are largely driven by global factors, including geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, rather than domestic policy decisions.
“Any patriotic Ghanaian will agree that the current challenges are influenced by global events. However, the government has managed the economy in a way that citizens can see tangible impact,” he added.
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