Scrap Special Petroleum Tax now – Former Energy Minister

Former Petroleum Minister Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah has asked government to scrap the special petroleum tax with immediate effect. “I think it is important that in the face of the numerous taxes, the special petroleum tax must be removed with immediate effect,” he told TV3’s parliamentary correspondent, Evelyn Tengmaa. Mr. Buah who is the Member of Parliament for Ellembelle, admitted Ghanaians have not been treated well by government with respect to the increasing fuel prices in the country. Despite the 2.5% reduction by the Akufo-Addo led government from 17.5% under the erstwhile Mahama administration to 15%, consumers of petroleum products are still calling for further reductions the Special Petroleum Tax. On Wednesday February 7, 2018 the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) embarked on a demonstration together with the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) to register their displeasure with increasing prices on petroleum products. The group of demonstrators presented a petition to the Energy Ministry and the Ministry of Finance hoping for a reduction. Reacting to request from COPEC and ICU on Accra-based station Citi FM, Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Hassan Tampuli said government cannot scrap or review taxes on petroleum products downward any further. “If you are saying that we should remove completely the Special Petroleum Tax, price stabilization levy among others, then you are just asking for the collapse of the revenue as far as government projects are concerned. “What government is doing is in a way responding to the needs and concerns of the Ghanaian people by reducing the price figure by 3%,” the NPA boss noted. By Irene Amesimeku| editors.3news.com|Ghana