Majority lawmakers have forcefully rejected Minority claims that they were excluded from deliberations on the controversial GHS1 energy sector levy.
Energy Committee Chairman Emmanuel Kwesi Bedzrah asserted the opposition is spreading “deliberate falsehoods” for political gain, stating all Minority members participated fully in the approval process.
“All members on the Minority side in the Finance Committee and all leaders of the Energy Committee were present when we discussed this amendment bill,” Bedzrah stated firmly during a parliamentary session. “We all went through the bill, and no one went out. They were all there.” The chairman specifically named Minority MPs George Kwame Aboagye and Collins Adomako Mensah as attendees, adding: “At the end, the majority decision was taken, and then you organised a conference to say you were not consulted.”
The levy has ignited national debate amid rising utility costs, with the Minority maintaining it was “smuggled” into legislation without proper stakeholder engagement. Bedzrah dismissed these assertions as “populism,” countering: “They were not only consulted—they participated fully.” Parliamentary records confirm both sides were represented during committee deliberations on June 10, 2025, though Minority members later contested the transparency of the process.
This dispute highlights deepening tensions in Ghana’s legislature over fiscal policy procedures, particularly regarding energy sector funding mechanisms that directly impact citizens’ cost of living. The outcome may influence public trust in parliamentary accountability processes for future economic measures.
