Dennis Aboagye Slams Government Over Fuel Levy and Trust Betrayal
On the Newsfile program aired on Joy News, Dennis Miracle Aboagye launched a scathing critique of the current government, accusing it of betraying the trust of the Ghanaian people by introducing new taxes, particularly the recent GH¢4.50 per gallon fuel levy, despite previous promises not to do so.
According to Aboagye, the levy, which took effect without prior stakeholder consultation, represents a gross act of dishonesty. “We went to bed on Tuesday, and woke up Wednesday morning with a GH¢4.50 levy per gallon of petrol. And you’re telling us we should keep quiet?” he stated during a heated panel discussion.
This is not the first tax Ghanaians are paying. We’ve always paid. But they will speak out because the government said A and is now doing B. That’s betrayal,” Aboagye stressed.
Emphasizing that the people are not necessarily resisting the taxes themselves, but are angered by the apparent breach of trust.
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He recounted statements made by the Finance Minister before the administration assumed power, where assurances were given that no new taxes would be introduced and that improved tax compliance alone would close revenue gaps. “He said he had studied the economy long enough to know that we don’t need new revenue handles,” Aboagye recalled, questioning the sudden policy shift.
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Touching on the impact of the levy, Aboagye said the new charges are suffocating ordinary Ghanaians. He went on to criticize the government for forcing the GPRTU to reduce transport fares under the guise of economic improvement, only to slap new levies on fuel weeks later. “That’s leadership of insincerity,” he said.
An Uber driver using a Vitz now pays GH¢42 every day to the government in taxes. For what exactly?”
Aboagye also tackled claims about reduced fuel prices. “Let’s set the record straight: on 7th January, fuel was GH¢14.99. Now it’s GH¢12.52—not GH¢17 as some falsely claim. Let’s stop the propaganda,” he clarified, pointing to recent data from Goil and Star Oil.
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He further argued that basic goods and services, from cement to tomatoes and iron rods, have all seen steep price hikes, despite claims of economic recovery.
What affects prices in this country more than anything is fuel. You can’t reduce the dollar and increase fuel at the same time and expect us not to talk,” he insisted.
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On the energy sector, he defended the NPP’s approach while blaming the opposition NDC for what he called “reckless” contracts. “They signed 32 excess capacity agreements, resulting in $500 million annual costs, even when we don’t use the power,” he stated. He added that the government’s intervention through the ESLA levy helped settle over GH¢1 billion in legacy debt and was used responsibly, contrary to accusations.
However, Aboagye expressed skepticism about the real intent of the new fuel levy.
They say it’s to deal with the energy sector debt, but that’s false. It’s just to buy fuel for current operations, not to pay down the debt,” he revealed.
He concluded by warning that the public would not be silent in the face of misgovernance. “We won’t allow this government to gaslight us. The reality is that they promised not to introduce taxes, and they did. That’s why they lost the elections so badly.”
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