The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has officially called off its intended strike following government engagement and the subsequent postponement of the controversial GHC1 fuel levy. The levy, which was initially scheduled to take effect immediately after its passage into law, has now been deferred to June 16, 2025.

In an interview with 3news, the Public Relations Officer of the GPRTU, Ibrahim Moru Abass, confirmed the union’s decision to suspend the strike action. “We have called off the intended sit-down strike action we came up with. We’ve been engaged by the Transport Ministry. We shall communicate our final decision taken on June 16,” Mr. Abass Moro stated on June 9.

This development comes after widespread discontent among transport operators and commuters over the imposition of a new GHC1 levy on every litre of fuel, passed by Parliament under a certificate of urgency on June 4. The levy was introduced as part of the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, aimed at addressing Ghana’s power generation challenges and reducing the heavy debts within the energy sector.

President John Dramani Mahama, who signed the bill into law on June 5, acknowledged the public discomfort but described the measure as a “difficult but necessary” step. Speaking during the signing ceremony at the Jubilee House in Accra, the President emphasized the urgency of reforming the energy sector to prevent future power crises.

“Today, we are signing the Energy Sector Levy Act, all this with the view to trying to eliminate the energy sector debts and stop the crisis in the energy sector and create an energy sector that delivers lower tariffs and better service to our people,” Mahama said.

He assured Ghanaians that the revenue generated from the levy—estimated at GHS5.7 billion annually—would be used solely for its intended purpose. “One of the assurances I gave you is that this money will be used exactly as it is meant for. It won’t be like in the past where the ESLA was collateralised and diverted for other things.”

The President added that the government would simultaneously initiate power sector reforms to boost revenue collection and ensure the sustainability of the sector. “This Act, which has been christened D-Levy, will not be forever. It is temporary to try and resolve our crisis in the power sector.”

In his remarks during the presentation of the final report of the National Economic Dialogue 2025, President Mahama defended the move against growing public backlash. “This decision, though difficult, is necessary and justifiable. It is part of a broader strategy to liquidate debt and stop the bleeding in the power sector.”

He revealed that Ghana’s energy sector is currently burdened with over US$3.1 billion in debt, with an additional US$1.8 billion needed to secure fuel for uninterrupted thermal power production in the near future. “If left unaddressed, this situation significantly threatens national productivity and industrial growth,” he warned.

Despite these explanations, the announcement of the fuel levy triggered widespread disapproval, particularly from transport unions, who viewed the move as another burden on operators and the commuting public. The GPRTU had initially threatened a nationwide strike if the government did not rescind the decision by June 10.

In light of the government’s decision to delay implementation until June 16, the GPRTU has opted to temporarily shelve its protest plans. “We will monitor the situation and give the government until June 16 before taking any further action,” the union emphasized.

As tensions ease for now, the coming days will prove crucial, with Ghanaians watching closely to see whether the government will maintain its commitment to transparency and targeted use of the D-Levy, and whether the GPRTU will resume its industrial action or accept the levy as a necessary compromise.