The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has threatened to increase transport fares by 60% in 2024 as soon as the Emission Levy Bill takes effect in January 2024.
The spokesperson of the GPRTU, Abass Imoro, made this known in an interview on JoyNews.
The Emissions Levy Bill passed by Parliament imposes an annual charge of 100 cedis 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.
According to Mr Imoro, the Union is already burdened with taxes, therefore, adding another tax would not be favourable.
He noted that the Union has written to the Speaker of Parliament for the house to consider a review of the Emission Levy Bill.
He said, “In the letter, we indicated that if nothing is done about it, we will increase lorry fare by not less than 60%.”
This adjustment, he says is to enable the drivers to cope with the economic burden that may arise from the new tax.
Earlier, the Minority in Parliament opposed the passage of the Emissions Levy Bill, saying the tax was not well thought through.
Describing the levy as ‘wusie tax’, they argued that the tax imposed on all commercial vehicles, private vehicles, ambulances, commercial motorbikes and tricycles would worsen an already dire economic situation in the country.
But Energy Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, in defense of the bill noted that, the world is moving from internal combustion vehicles and this new levy will help to propel the country to the new era of electric vehicles.