GPRTU Appeals To Parliament For A Reassessment Of The Emission Levy Bill

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), a prominent association representing the interests of transport operators, has submitted a petition to the Ghanaian Parliament urging a comprehensive review of the Emission Levy Bill.

The union’s appeal comes as part of its commitment to championing the concerns of its members and fostering a collaborative approach to environmental sustainability within the transportation sector.

The Emission Levy Bill is aimed at addressing environmental concerns by imposing levies on vehicles based on their emission levels, the proposed legislation seeks to incentivize the adoption of environmentally friendly vehicles while discouraging the use of those with higher emissions.

An annual charge of GH¢100 on all owners of petrol and diesel cars, starting from January 2024.

One of the primary concerns raised by the GPRTU is the potential financial strain that the Emission Levy Bill could place on transport operators. Consequently, the union has threatened to increase fares by not less than 60 percent.

In a discussion, 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,”

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