News by Boakye Stephen, Kumasi, Ghana | Reporting for Ghanaian News, Canada
10/04/2026
A growing demand for transparency is shaking Ghana’s energy sector as the CEO of the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (COMAC), Dr. Riverson Oppong, calls for full disclosure on proceeds from the controversial “dumsor levy.”
His call follows government’s decision to ease fuel prices by removing selected taxes and margins after a high-level cabinet meeting responding to global pressures, including tensions in the Middle East.
Speaking on PM Express Business Edition, Dr. Oppong expressed mixed reactions:
“I don’t know what to call it, whether expected or surprise…”
While he welcomed the intervention, he questioned the timing, noting that global fuel prices were already stabilising when the decision was made.
“We already see the international benchmark prices coming out… this is the time that the government decided to review prices when we had been asking for it a month ago.”
He further cautioned that consumers should not expect immediate relief:
“The expectation of this downward movement of fuel globally will take some time…”
However, his strongest concern remains accountability:
“We need some level of accountability… I will personally be glad to hear from the Minister of Finance how much… has accrued so far.”
Commentary (Insight & Analysis) | Boakye Stephen
This is not just about fuel, it is about trust in governance and economic transparency.
When citizens are taxed under emergency narratives like “dumsor,” the burden becomes moral as well as financial. If the government cannot clearly show how much has been collected and how it has been used, then the levy risks becoming what economists call a “confidence-eroding tax instrument.”
In public finance, transparency is not optional, it is the foundation of fiscal legitimacy. Without it, even good policies lose credibility.
The real question is simple:
Note: If the people are paying, shouldn’t the people know?
