By Baba Issahaq Mohammed
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Gomoa Central, Hon. Kwame Asare Obeng, widely known as A Plus, has raised grave concerns over what he claims is a coordinated media campaign aimed at justifying an increase in Ghana’s Sanitation and Pollution Levy.
In a strongly worded statement posted on his official Facebook page, Hon. Asare Obeng accused selected media outlets and civil society organizations of holding a closed-door meeting to fabricate a narrative that blames a worsening sanitation crisis on the government of President John Mahama. Despite President Mahama’s administration being in office for only three months, the MP believes this narrative is being pushed to support the proposed levy increment.
“The narrative will be clear: sanitation has worsened under President John Mahama… But here’s the truth,” Hon. Asare Obeng wrote, dismissing claims that the sanitation situation has deteriorated under the current government.
The controversial Sanitation and Pollution Levy, introduced in 2021, has reportedly generated approximately GHS 1.93 billion from fuel consumption, yet Hon. Asare Obeng argued that there have been no significant improvements in the country’s sanitation conditions.
According to Hon. Asare Obeng, the levy collections over the years are as follows:
2021: GHS 264 million
2022: GHS 470 million
2023: GHS 550 million
2024: GHS 646 million
Despite these substantial figures, the MP expressed concerns about the lack of visible results, claiming, “The streets are still dirty, the waste collection remains unreliable, and open dumping continues.”
In his statement, Hon. Asare Obeng also referred to an investigative report by The Fourth Estate, which revealed that GHS 156 million of the 2021 levy proceeds were allocated to Sewerage Systems Ghana Ltd., a subsidiary of the Jospong Group. This has sparked further questions about the transparency and effectiveness of how the levy funds are being utilized.
The MP did not hold back in his criticism of Attorney General Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, alleging that the legislative process surrounding the levy was manipulated to benefit the interests of close associates. “If Dr Ayine attempts anything silly, I’ll expose him further… I know those who were at that meeting, and I say this with certainty, it won’t wash,” he warned.
Hon. Asare Obeng concluded his statement by asserting that his critique is not political but rather moral. He emphasized that Ghana does not need additional taxes, but rather “fairness, accountability, and a vision that empowers its people, not one that enriches a few while the rest live in filth.”
