The Association of Ghana Industries has renewed calls for the removal of the GH¢1 fuel levy, warning that it is placing mounting pressure on businesses amid rising fuel costs linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

At a meeting with the Minority Caucus on Thursday, April 2, AGI President Kofi Nsiah-Poku, alongside former AGI head Humphrey Ayim-Darke, cautioned that companies may be forced to pass on the additional costs to consumers if the levy remains in place.

Nsiah-Poku stressed that while businesses had previously absorbed the impact due to the relative stability of the cedi, the current economic environment makes it increasingly difficult to do so, raising the likelihood of price adjustments.

In response, Patricia Appiagyei, Deputy Minority Leader, disclosed that the caucus plans to establish a dedicated working group to consolidate concerns and proposals arising from the engagement with AGI.

She explained that the group will operate behind the scenes to develop practical policy recommendations, which will inform the New Patriotic Party’s future economic direction.

According to her, the initiative is part of efforts to reassess past decisions, refine policy approaches, and strengthen collaboration with industry stakeholders going forward.

“It is important at this point that we start talking about the removal of the GH¢1 to bring our cost of operations down. At that point we could absorb because we had to balance it with the appreciation of the Cedi but if nothing is done about it now, then we will also begin to look at our operational cost to start increasing prices which we do not want to touch,” Nsiah-Poku said.