Deputy Director of Operations at the Presidency, Mustapha Gbande, has launched a scathing rebuttal against the Minority in Parliament over their opposition to the recently approved GH₵1 fuel levy.

Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show on Monday, 9 June, Mr Gbande said the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which now leads the Minority, lacks the moral authority to criticise a situation they are largely responsible for creating.

“The people who are calling for equity must honestly come with clean hands, and I don’t think the NPP has what it takes to talk about this because they put us here in this situation,” Mr Gbande criticised.

According to him, the tax has become a necessary intervention due to the “reckless mismanagement” of the country’s energy sector under the previous administration.

Parliament recently approved the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which introduces a GH¢1 per litre levy on petroleum products.

The bill, tabled by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson under a certificate of urgency, is expected to generate crucial revenue to address an energy sector debt of US$3.1 billion.

The government estimates that US$3.7 billion will be required to fully clear the arrears, in addition to US$1.2 billion needed to purchase fuel for thermal power generation throughout the year.

The Minority Caucus, however, has described the levy as a “predatory tax” that will impose an estimated GH¢5.7 billion annual burden on households and businesses.

They criticised the government for rushing the bill through Parliament without adequate public consultation and demanded full transparency on how the funds would be utilised.

Nonetheless, the Presidency maintains that the measure is vital to ensure energy security and long-term fiscal stability.