Ghanaian activist and firebrand of the #FixTheCountry movement, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, has unleashed a fierce broadside against the government’s proposed 1 cedi-per-litre “Dumsor tax,” calling it “a slap in the face of the poor” and a dangerous continuation of leadership without accountability.
In a 13-point statement released on the symbolic June 4th—a day etched in Ghanaian memory for its revolt against corruption and injustice—Barker-Vormawor painted a grim picture of elite impunity and systemic theft, warning that ordinary Ghanaians are being sacrificed to finance the failures of the powerful.
“Don’t let the privileged insult your intelligence,” he wrote. “They steal from us, destroy state institutions, and come back to tax us for their mess. It’s not policy—it’s abuse.”
He accused successive governments of plundering public institutions like VRA, ECG, GOIL, and TOR, only to return to citizens with tax schemes disguised as solutions. He reminded Ghanaians of past levies like ESLA, E-Levy, TOR Debt Levy, and the Communications Service Tax, which were either misused, extended indefinitely, or never accounted for.
“We paid over a billion cedis more than the TOR debt. Yet TOR owes over $570 million today. What did they do with our money?” Barker-Vormawor demanded.
The activist’s outrage also zeroed in on the petroleum downstream sector, which he described as a “corruption economy,” citing allegations of over $250 million stolen under the watch of NPA boss Mustapha Hameed, and daily losses of up to $3 million.
“No one is ever held accountable. These are fat cats, hiding millions in Cayman accounts while the rest of us can’t keep the lights on.”
In what many are calling one of his most blistering critiques yet, Barker-Vormawor condemned the timing of the new tax’s introduction as especially offensive.
“To impose this on June 4th is not just tone-deaf—it’s a cruel joke. You spit on the memory of justice and sacrifice,” he said. “Guilty desires have guilty ends.”
Known for his unwavering stance against political corruption, Barker-Vormawor’s statement has galvanized fresh anger online, particularly among youth and civil society groups, many of whom view this new tax as the latest in a long line of exploitative measures.
As Parliament prepares to debate the Energy Sector Levy Amendment Bill, pressure is mounting for real answers—not just new taxes.
“This isn’t about fixing Dumsor. It’s about fixing the people who broke it—and profited while we suffered.”
