MP Collins Adomako-Mensah Criticises Fuel Allowance Cut as a Poor Attempt to Soothe D-Levy Backlash

• Collins Adomako-Mensah, MP for Afigya Kwabre North, has criticises the government’s decision to scrap fuel allowances for appointees
• He questions the sincerity of the move, claiming it’s an attempt to deflect public anger over the GH¢1 Energy Sector Levy increase
• The MP emphasises that Ghanaians will still face the financial burden of the GH¢1 per litre fuel increase, regardless of the government’s directive

Collins Adomako-Mensah, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Afigya Kwabre North, has criticised the government’s decision to scrap fuel allowances for appointees.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, the MP, who is on the ticket of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), called it a poor attempt to alleviate public backlash against the GH¢1 increase in the Energy Sector Levy.

According to the MP, who is also the Ranking Member on the Parliamentary-Select Committee on Energy, the move is an insignificant gesture aimed at masking the government’s true intentions of draining more revenue from struggling Ghanaians.

He questions the sincerity of the ruling National Democratic Congress government’s decision to scrap fuel allowances for its appointees, suggesting it’s merely a publicity stunt.

“The GRA announced a few weeks ago that the suspended implementation of the GH¢1 per litre will kick start tomorrow. The President knows it, he knows that Ghanaians are angry. He wants to reduce the tension in the system. He’s brought a directive that he’s taking out the allowances. He should be telling us what is the effect of that, how much money was government spending on fuel for his appointees, and this directive, what is the effect on it,” he said.

He said per the fiscal impact analysis presented to Parliament by the Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the government intends to rake in GH¢5.7 billion.

“GH¢5.7 billion is going to be taken away from the Ghanaian people. This directive, clearly, is just a way by the Mahama administration to reduce the anger in the system….let me make it clear, Ghanaians are going to start paying GH¢1 per litre on each fuel product. That’s the story and not what he brought out,” he add.

Watch the video below:

Adomako-Mensah’s criticism of fuel allowance sparks reaction

Mr Adomako-Mensah’s critcism of the fuel allowance scrap by President Mahama has sparked reactions from some Ghanaians on social media.

YEN.com.gh compiled a few of the reactions below:

@RichmondKAnim said:

“This same man, Collins, would have clapped for Bawumia and Nana Addo if they had done same but because they didn’t have the sense to rule a country to take sensible plans to govern a nation they are rather against anything that move this country forward …. Shame on NPP people.”

@Nash290032 also said:

“We have known about this levy since last month, so what anger is he talking about.”

@akabayire commented:

“Even if that the reason I think it’s a valid reason bro.”

Energy Minister responds to concerns on D-levy

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported earlier that the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Mr John Jinapor, explained the rationale behind the amendment of the energy sector levy.

Speaking to Accra-based Joy FM, the Energy Minister stated that the government had assessed the energy sector and found that the liquid fuel consumed in the country had not been included in the tariff structure.

He mentioned that the government required over US$1B that year alone to procure liquid fuels, adding that even if all citizens were able to pay for the power they consumed, and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) were to collect 100 per cent of the money, none of it would have gone into the procurement of liquid fuel.

Source: YEN.com.gh