Commercial transport operators have threatened to embark on a nationwide strike on June 10, 2025, in protest against the newly introduced GHC1.00 levy on petroleum products, popularly referred to as the “Dumsor Levy.”
Addressing the press on Thursday, June 5, the Industrial Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Abass Ibrahim Imoro, expressed strong dissatisfaction with the levy, describing it as a measure that will bring untoward hardship to commercial drivers and transport business owners across the country.
According to him, the decision to implement the levy was taken without adequate consultation and risks pushing many operators out of business due to rising operational costs.
The association has demanded an immediate reversal of the policy and a broader engagement with the government and relevant stakeholders.
“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 introduction of the levy follows the recent approval of the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, by Parliament. The bill imposes a GHS1 increase in the levy on petroleum products and is expected to generate an estimated GHS5.7 billion in revenue.
According to Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the revenue 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.
