Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has hinted at an increase in fares following the implementation of the Emissions Levy Act, 2023 (Act 1112).
Despite their earlier suspension of a 20 percent fare hike in January following Transport Ministry intervention, the government has implemented the emissions levy tax.
According to the government, the emissions levy aims at curbing carbon emissions from vehicles.
However, the implementation of the emissions levy tax has left the GPRTU dissatisfied, indicating that they will transfer the levy cost to passengers.
Speaking to JoyNews, the spokesperson for GPRTU, Abass Imoro, stated that the unions engaged in a meeting with the Transport Ministry and the Finance Minister to address the issue, but the tax was implemented nonetheless.
He highlighted that the government’s decision to implement the emissions levy tax has compounded their existing challenges.
“Fortunately for us, the government took that meeting seriously. We met with the Finance Minister and the Transport Minister as well. This particular issue was put to the Finance Minister who accepted to do something about it.
“So we said we are already paying 10% on the little fuel we buy in the name of sanitation and pollution. Just unfortunately, the same pollution name has been changed and slapped us with the same issue again.
“We explained to him and he said if that is the issue, then, of course, he will look at what to do about it. So if nothing has been done and today the implementation has taken place, we won’t say much than to add it to our new fares we are working on,” Mr Moro said.
Meanwhile, the Okada Riders Association of Ghana is preparing to petition the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) regarding what it perceives as the unfair imposition of an emission levy on its members.
The association emphasised that they were unaware of such a levy, stating that the government should have engaged with them to seek their opinion on whether it would be favorable or not.
Commenting on how the emissions levy will affect them, the association noted that the tax is a substantial amount of money and stressed the importance of the government addressing this concern.
“I’m paying my insurance and that is not the only amount a person [Okada rider] who is using a motorbike is going to be paying every year.
“He’s also going to pay his insurance, pay his roadworks and other things. When they call us, we will be able to tell them that no, this is too much for them. Let’s do it this way,” the association said.
The Okada Riders Association affirmed their intention to petition both the government and the GRA concerning the specified amount and urged them to address the issue.
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