GPRTU requests a reconsideration of the Emission Levy Bill by Parliament

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has announced that it submitted a proposal to Parliament for the reconsideration of the Emission Levy Bill, scheduled for implementation in 2024.

The Emissions Levy Bill, approved by Parliament, imposes an annual charge of GH¢100 on all owners of petrol and diesel cars, starting from January 2024.

The government’s objective with this tax is to encourage the use of environmentally friendly energy sources for vehicle power, aligning with its commitment to climate-positive actions and carbon offset initiatives.

The Union has expressed concerns about the bill, asserting that it will add to the excessive tax burden on the transport sector.

Consequently, the union has threatened to increase fares by not less than 60 percent.

The Minority in Parliament had earlier opposed the passage of the Bill.

In an interview with Citi News, the Industrial Relations Officer for GPRTU, Abass Imoro, expressed hope that the outcome of the proposal would be positive.

“We will officially resume on January 12, 2024, from the Christmas break, so we are hopeful that by the time we resume, we might have received a letter from Parliament. In an institution like Parliament, you can’t write to them, and they will overlook it; definitely, we shall hear from them. When we hear from them, then we continue from there. Let’s all hope for the best because the country is for all of us, and we all wish to live happily. If you say pollution, and you say emission somewhere, I think it’s the grammar that has been changed. It all means the same thing, so we are creating awareness that we are already paying something on that,” Abass Imoro said.