The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has asked Ghanaians to expect a 60% increase in transportation fares as a result of the Emission Levy Bill, which was passed by the House of Parliament and went into effect this month.
In an interview with Accra-based Citi TV, the union’s public relations officer, Imoro Abbas, said the new bill has added pressure and serious burdens on the union at a time when the country is facing difficult economic challenges, despite the fact that they already pay taxes.
He added, “We are already paying for the emission—10 pesos for a liter. So you can imagine 10 pesos by 4.5 for a gallon, or several gallons you use a day times 26 working days in a month. You can imagine how much one driver pays for it. And we pleaded with parliament that they should have a second look at it.”
Mr. Abbas reiterated that the union has petitioned the Speaker of Parliament to reconsider the bills, but till date all efforts seem abortive, thus opening the floodgate for them to increase transport fares by not less than 60%.
“But we did indicate that if nothing is being done or nothing can be done about it, then of course we have other problems as well. We will package ourselves and come out with an upward adjustment of lorry fares not less than 60%,” he stressed.
The Emission Levy Bill by Parliament requires an annual fee of 100 cedis for all owners of petrol and diesel cars, starting in January 2024.
