The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike over the introduction of the GH¢1 fuel levy.
The Union has fixed June 10, 2025, to strike if the government fails to reverse the GH¢1 levy on petroleum products
Addressing a press conference in Accra on Thursday, June 5, Abass Ibrahim Imoro, the Industrial Public Relations Officer of GPRTU, condemned the levy as a "unilateral decision" taken without adequate consultation, warning it would impose "untoward hardship" on the transport sector.
“We are therefore calling on the government to reverse the levy immediately and engage us and stakeholders on the way forward. In the event that our call is not heeded, we will be compelled to take industrial action and park our vehicles on June 10, 2025. We urge the government to consider the impact of the levy on the transport sector and the consequences of our action on the economy, and engage us in meaningful deliberations to help address challenges in the energy sector,” he said.
The new levy, which has sparked mixed reactions, follows the approval of the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, by Parliament.
The bill imposes a GH¢1 increase in the levy on petroleum products and is expected to generate an estimated GH¢5.7 billion in revenue.
The Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has said that the revenue generated will be used to reduce the country’s ballooning energy sector debt, which currently stands at $3.1 billion.
He added that an additional $1.2 billion will also be needed to procure fuel for thermal power generation in 2025.