Afenyo-Markin opens up on endorsing GHS1 dumsor levy

Minority Leader and Effutu MP Alexander Afenyo-Markin has denied claims that he endorsed the GH¢1 “dumsor levy” on fuel.

A video circulating online shows him speaking about energy sector issues, leading to speculation that he supported the new levy. However, Afenyo-Markin clarified in a social media post on Saturday, June 14, that his comments were taken out of context.

He explained that his remarks in Parliament on Friday, June 13, were about the need for both sides to support measures to stop erratic power supply, not to back any new tax.

“My attention has been drawn to a misleading video suggesting I endorsed the dumsor levy. This is false and misrepresents what I said,” he stated.

According to him, his focus was on urging reforms at the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), not on supporting a tax. He added that the Energy Minister had promised to present reform proposals to Parliament, and he simply called for that commitment to be fulfilled.

Afenyo-Markin stressed that the real issue is ECG’s inefficiency in collecting revenue. He revealed that, during his time as ECG Board Chairman, only about 30% of consumers paid for the electricity they used, while the rest either had no meters or used illegal connections.

He concluded that fixing these challenges is more urgent than introducing new levies.