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Claim: The NDC Member of Parliament for Yilo Krobo, Albert Tetteh Nyarkotey, has claimed that inflation was hovering around 50% when the electronic levy was introduced.
Verification: False. The Electronic Transfer Levy was implemented in May 2022, and data from the Ghana Statistical Service shows that inflation at the time was 27.6%, not anywhere near the claimed 50%.
Full Text
Conversations surrounding the implementation of the GHS1 increase in the levy on petroleum products, which will take effect on Monday, June 16, 2025, under the revised Energy Sector Levies Act, 2025 (Act 1141), have sparked widespread public debate.
Among those are transport operators, particularly the Ghana Private Road Transport operators, who view the implementation announcement as a betrayal. They have described the move as the government’s stab in the back, citing the timing and lack of stakeholder engagement.
In defence of the new levy, Yilo Krobo NDC MP Albert Tetteh Nyarkotey, speaking on Channel One TV on June 5, 2025, argued that the GHS 1 increase is a necessary fiscal measure to help address the country’s energy issues. He juxtaposed it with what he described as the previous administration’s “nuisance tax,” the Electronic Transfer Levy (e-levy) introduced under the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Responding to a question during the interview, the MP claimed that inflation was hovering around 50% when the e-levy was introduced, implying that economic conditions now make the GHS1 levy more justifiable.
“The e-levy and all the betting tax and all those taxes were nuisance taxes. The e-levy was also not well discussed, but it was a nuisance tax. At the time the e-levy was introduced, things were already difficult. Inflation was around 50% or so,” the MP stated.
This statement was made from the 23-minute, 33-second mark of the interview, which is available on the YouTube channel of Channel One TV. Given its potential to mislead, DUBAWA decided to investigate the claim.
Verification
First, DUBAWA sought to determine when the Electronic Transfer Levy (e-levy) was implemented and whether the inflation rate was around 50%, as claimed.
DUBAWA’s research revealed that the e-levy was implemented on May 1, 2022, as confirmed by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) on its official website.
Following this, DUBAWA looked into data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) to verify the inflation rate for May 2022. According to the Consumer Price Index published by the GSS, the inflation rate for that month was 27.6%, significantly lower than the 50% figure cited by the NDC MP for Yilo Krobo, Albert Tetteh Nyarkotey.
However, it is essential to note that inflation reached 50% in November 2022, six months after the levy was introduced. Therefore, the claim that it was 50% when introduced is false.
Conclusion
The claim by Yilo Krobo MP, Albert Tetteh Nyarkotey, that inflation was around 50% when the Electronic Transfer Levy (e-levy) was introduced is false. Verified data shows that the e-levy was implemented in May 2022, when the inflation rate stood at 27.6%, according to the Ghana Statistical Service. Inflation only reached 50% six months later, in November 2022. Therefore, the MP’s claim misrepresents the economic conditions at the introduction of the e-levy.
