The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) has warned the government to abandon plans to impose higher taxes on petroleum goods in the mid-year budget review.
On July 25, 2023, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is due to submit the Mid-year Budget Review to Parliament.
According to COPEC’s sources, the government aims to impose increased gasoline tariffs, which are already onerous for customers.
Duncan Amoah, Executive Secretary of COPEC, stated on Citi TV’s Breakfast Daily broadcast that such inconsiderate conduct will deepen Ghanaians’ suffering.
“What I am even picking up from the budget to be read soon is that if Ghanaians are not lucky, there will be newer taxes… But we will issue a warning here. If government dares us, we will dare them this time. I mean, it’s already crazy. We are trying. When it comes to austerity, what governments across the world will try to do is to provide support and reliefs.”
“But when you are in austerity, and you are taxing even more, you are simply shuttering people’s livelihoods. This is going to be crazy for people. But beyond this, if you are getting new attempts to slap taxes on petrol, which is already high, then the insensitivity, the misalignment. He is probably not diagnosing the problem properly to be able to proffer solutions properly,” he stated.
