The government is to temporarily suspend the GH¢1-per-litre Energy Sector Shortfall and Debt Repayment Levy (D-Levy) on diesel for October and November.
The measure will allow the government to maintain its existing GH¢2-per-litre intervention on diesel, although the relief will now be funded through a different combination of measures.
Under the revised arrangement, the reduction in statutory margins will be scaled down from GH¢2 to GH¢1 per litre.
The additional GH¢1-per-litre relief will instead be provided through the suspension of the D-Levy.
Motorists will consequently continue to receive a total intervention of GH¢2 per litre on diesel, with GH¢1 coming from reduced statutory margins and the other GH¢1 from the temporary suspension of the levy.
The decision comes ahead of an expected sharp increase in petroleum prices during the first pricing window of October.
The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) has projected a 5.21% increase in petrol prices and a 22.91% rise in diesel prices effective Thursday, October 1, 2026.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, September 29, and signed by its Executive Secretary, Duncan Amoah, COPEC attributed the anticipated adjustments largely to rising international petroleum prices and a marginal depreciation of the Ghana cedi against the US dollar.
Based on the projection, the average retail price of petrol is expected to move from GH¢16.90 to GH¢17.78 per litre.
Diesel prices, meanwhile, are projected to increase from GH¢18.24 to GH¢22.42 per litre.
The expected rise in fuel prices has already resulted in an 8% increase in transport fares.
The continued GH¢2-per-litre government intervention on diesel is therefore expected to provide some relief to consumers as the latest price adjustments take effect.
However, the new arrangement changes the structure of the intervention, with a portion of the relief now being delivered through the temporary suspension of the D-Levy rather than through statutory margin reductions alone.
