Review emission levy bill – GPRTU petitions parliament

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has made it public that it has petition the legislative body, Parliament to reconsider the Emission Levy Bill set to be rolled out in 2024.

The bill, approved by Parliament would ensure the imposition of a yearly charge of GH¢100 on owners of cars that rely on petrol and diesel starting early January, 2024.

According to the government, the Emission Levy Bill is a calculated move to ensure and encourage the use of environmentally friendly energy sources for vehicle power in alignment with global commitment towards climate-positive actions and carbon offset initiatives.

The driver union believes that the bill if made a legislation will be added up to the excessive tax burden on the transport sector

“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 in an interview on Citi TV.

The Union maintains that, it will be compelled to increase transport fares to over 60 per cent if their concerns are not addressed.

In corroboration with the GPRTU, the Minority in Parliament had earlier opposed the passage of the Emission Levy Bill.