The Energy Ministry has rejected claims by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) that levies imposed on petroleum products are responsible for the current price hike at the pumps.

Communications officer of the NDC Sammy Gyamfi, at a press conference on Monday, argued that the 60% increase in revenue from the country’s oil sector makes it untenable for government to maintain the taxes still.

He blamed the bad leadership for the adjustment in fuel prices.

“Given the fact that the price of a gallon of diesel and petrol has increased by close to ¢10 in 2021 alone, it is an insult to the sensibilities of suffering Ghanaians for government to offer to reduce the price of fuel by a paltry 63 pesewas.

“We, therefore, wish to call on the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-NPP government to, as a matter of urgency, scrap the Special Petroleum Tax (SPT) of 46 pesewas on a litre of diesel and petrol,” Mr Gyamfi said.

But, Deputy Energy Minister, Andrew Agyapa Mercer, in an interview on JoyNews, disagreed.

He insisted that government will not remove taxes on petroleum products.

“I don’t think government is going to scrap these taxes and levies because any suggestion of that effect ought to come with some recommendation as regards how the expenditure line that has been approved in the budget for which these revenues streams are intended to fund.

“Otherwise, if there is no alternative funding for the expenditure items that these taxes and levies are funding, then it presupposes the development needs of the people of Ghana will not be met, and I am not sure that you and I will accept that position,” he said.