The Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (COMAC) has issued a strong rejection of the Ghana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) directive mandating the implementation of the new Energy Sector Shortfall and Debt Repayment Levy (ESSDRL) beginning Monday, June 9, 2025.
In a statement addressed to the Commissioner-General of the GRA, COMAC described the move as coercive and poorly timed, alleging it reflects a disregard for due process and industry consultation.
“We therefore wish to state unequivocally: COMAC and its members cannot and will not begin implementation of this levy from Monday, 9th June,” the statement emphasized.
According to the Oil Marketers, the directive by GRA was communicated via a letter dated Friday, June 6—a public holiday—and delivered on Sunday morning, leaving oil marketing companies with less than 24 hours to comply with a major fiscal change.
COMAC likened the GRA’s handling of the matter to an “institutional ambush” and “Rambo-style directive.”
COMAC CEO and Industry Coordinator, Dr. Riverson Oppong, revealed in the statement that despite engaging the Minister for Energy and Green Transition on June 5 and presenting three mitigation proposals, the concerns of the industry were completely ignored in the rollout plan.
The group further expressed concern about the cumulative tax burden on petroleum products, noting that the downstream sector is already subject to eight separate taxes and levies, amounting to 22% of the ex-pump price.
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The new ESSDRL raises this to 26%, which they argue will threaten business viability and increase costs for consumers.
COMAC warned that the abrupt implementation would also disrupt operations for cash-and-carry marketers who had no opportunity to plan for the levy on stock to be lifted the next day.
The chamber is demanding a minimum two-week transition period, proposing June 16, 2025, as a more realistic and cooperative implementation date.
“We are industry stakeholders, not bystanders,” COMAC stated, urging the GRA to reconsider its timeline and adopt a more collaborative approach.
