, Duncan Amoah, has strongly criticized the Interior Minister’s proposal to in){kind=link}
The Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), Duncan Amoah, has strongly criticized the Interior Minister, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka’s proposal to introduce a 10-pesewa levy on fuel to support the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), describing it as an “armchair approach” and a lazy attempt at solving the country’s firefighting challenges.
Speaking on the matter on Bullet TV‘s News Night hosted by Nana Yaw Fianko (The Speaker) , Mr. Amoah acknowledged the frustrations of the Interior Minister regarding the state of firefighting in Ghana but insisted that imposing additional taxes on already burdened Ghanaians was not the right solution.
“There is a clear challenge, and the Interior Minister is obviously frustrated. However, you don’t just wake up and decide to impose more taxes on Ghanaians without thorough, pragmatic thinking. That would be a lazy and quick-fix approach that might not even solve the real problem,” – he argued.
According to him, firefighting in the country has long suffered from underfunding and logistical constraints, leading to situations where fire service personnel respond to emergencies either without water or with ineffective equipment. However, he insisted that introducing yet another fuel levy would not address these problems in a sustainable manner.
Mr. Amoah pointed out that introducing new taxes always has both intended and unintended consequences. While the government may intend to raise funds for firefighting equipment, he warned that the unintended effects—such as increased transportation costs, rising prices of goods and services, and additional pressure on industries—could far outweigh any intended benefits.
“Any policy sounds good on paper until you carefully analyze the unintended consequences. The government recently acknowledged the economic hardship on Ghanaians by removing some taxes in the national budget. So why is a minister now proposing to add new taxes on fuel just days later?” he questioned.
He urged the government to adopt a more strategic and sustainable approach to solving the challenges within the GNFS. Instead of imposing taxes, he suggested exploring alternative revenue sources or better budgetary allocations to equip the fire service without overburdening citizens.
“There are feasible alternatives to funding the fire service without worsening the economic situation of Ghanaians. We must think broader and deeper before rushing to introduce new taxes,” – he advised.
As the debate over the proposed levy continues, many Ghanaians will be keen to see whether the government reconsiders its approach or presses forward with the controversial fuel tax.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com|Ebenezer Madugu