The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has threatened to increase fares by at least 60 percent after the passing of the Emission Levy by Parliament.
The new Emission Levy Bill, which has been passed by Parliament for implementation in 2024, imposes an annual GH¢100 charge on petrol and diesel car owners.
The GPRTU, concerned about the additional tax burden on the transport sector, has presented a proposal to Parliament seeking a reconsideration of the levy, adding that they will be forced to pass on the cost to consumers if their demands are not met.
Abass Imoro, the Industrial Relations Officer for GPRTU, expressed optimism about a favourable outcome for their proposal in an interview.
“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 for that,” Imoro said on Rainbow Radio Accra.
By: Joel Eshun/Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana