On November 17, 2021, Ghana’s Finance Minster, Ken Ofori-Atta, announced removal of all tollbooths from all public roads in Ghana.
This move was praised by Ghanaian scientist based in Canada, Dr. Charles Odame-Ankrah, as a smart and decisive move to address vehicular emissions and hence climate change.
The immediate outcome was a clear reduction in vehicular traffic with the long term benefit of improving human health across Ghana.
In another historic move on December 24, 2023, Ghana’s Parliament championed a historic stand and passed the emissions levy.
Dr. Odame-Ankrah is celebrating this groundbreaking Emissions Levy Act, marking a pivotal stride in the nation’s commitment to combat climate change sustainably.
This idea was in part proposed by the world-renowned air quality scientist when he was interviewed by the media when he recently got his innovation patented by the United States Patent Office.
According to Dr. Charles Odame-Ankrah, this initiative is being hailed as historic and scientifically ingenious.
Dr. Charles Odame-Ankrah, has over the years expressed interest in air quality sciences, and had proposed this levy as a replacement for tollbooths and as a revolutionary alternative to raising critical revenue to tackle climate change locally.
His visionary insight underscores the Act’s potential to not only mitigate emissions but also drive Ghana toward a more sustainable future and create thousands of jobs through the establishment of air quality monitoring network.
In response to this monumental step, Dr. Odame-Ankrah emphasized the need for further immediate action by urging the removal of all speed ramps across the country and replace these with speed cameras to check posted speed limits with hefty violation fines for vehicle owners through the use of the car numbers to connect to every vehicle owner.
Such a move, he contends, would further enhance the strides made in reducing emissions since speed ramps, although designed for human safety, cause heavy pollution from vehicles which affects human health negatively.
Dr. Odame-Ankrah is further calling on the government to allocate a portion of the revenue generated from the emissions levy towards establishing a comprehensive air quality monitoring network across Ghana.
This strategic measure, he asserts, is critical in the fight against climate change, as it empowers policymakers with verified data essential for making informed decisions in protecting the environment and human life.
The passing of the Emissions Levy Act signals a profound commitment by Ghana’s Parliament to combat climate change proactively. It not only represents a transformative shift in policy but also signifies Ghana’s leadership in embracing innovative solutions endorsed by world-class experts like Dr. Charles Odame-Ankrah.
As Ghana takes bold strides toward a greener, more sustainable future, the implementation of a robust air quality monitoring network stands poised to fortify the nation’s resolve in decisively combating climate change and creating good paying jobs.
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