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Emissions levy: We’ll increase our fares accordingly – GPRTU
The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has disclosed that it will increase transport fares following the imposition of the Emissions Levy which took effect on Thursday, February 1, 2024.
The Emissions Levy which is contained in the 2024 budget is in line with the government’s efforts aimed at tackling greenhouse gas emissions to promote the use of eco-friendly technology and green energy.
Industrial relations officer for GPRTU, Abass Imoro in an Eyewitness News interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Citi FM alleged that the relevant stakeholders including the Transport and Finance Minister ignored the concerns of members and went ahead to implement the levy without responding to their petition.
“We were not part of the discussions before they came out with it [the levy]. We spotted it in the budget and we raised issues with it, our suggestions were not taken and we petitioned Parliament and we have not had any response yet.
“We had a meeting with the Transport and Finance Ministers and said that there was something wrong with the levy that we felt was not proper and the Finance Minister promised to do something about it, only for us to hear that the levy has taken effect today [February 1].
“So we said that we have decided that when we try to draw the public’s attention and nothing is being done, the only way is to add it up and have to increase our fares.”
The levy amount to be paid is dependent on the type of vehicle and its engine capacity.
Motorcycles and tricycles are required to pay GH₵75 per annum, while motor vehicles, buses, and coaches up to 3000 cubic centimetres are required to pay GH₵150 per annum.
Motor vehicles, buses, and coaches above 3000 cubic centimetres, cargo trucks, and articulated trucks are required to pay GH₵300 per annum.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
Massive celebrations were recorded countrywide as the Black Stars opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto on Wednesday.
Midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi scored the only goal of the match late in the game as he shot in a decent cross from substitute Brandon Asante.
The win gave Ghana a positive start in the competition, placing them in second position behind England, also with three points but with a superior goal aggregate.
After the final whistle, the streets and other viewing centres were turned into partying grounds as fans, mostly clad in the team’s paraphernalia, danced to several World Cup-themed music.
Others blew the vuvuzelas in joyous mood with others putting up a spirited ‘jama’ session.
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Adentan Constituency, Akosua Manu, has urged party members to move away from what she describes as an “entitlement mentality” and focus on unity, sacrifice and hard work as the party prepares for the 2028 general election.
In a statement titled “Is Loyalty a Queue?”, and posted on facebook, Ms. Manu argued that loyalty to the NPP should not be judged by how long a person has been in the party but by their contributions and commitment to its growth.
According to her, the NPP’s history shows that many of its leaders faced significant opposition from within the party before eventually leading it to electoral success.
She cited former President John Agyekum Kufuor as an example, saying he had to overcome resistance from influential figures within the party before winning power for the NPP in 2000.
Ms. Manu noted that after the party lost power in 2008, former President Kufuor faced criticism and accusations from some party members.
However, she said supporters eventually put their differences aside and worked together to rebuild the party.
She pointed to the experience of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who, according to her, faced opposition from some factions within the NPP despite his long service to the party.
“His trials were ten times what Kufuor endured,” she stated, adding that Akufo-Addo eventually overcame the challenges and became President of Ghana.
Turning to the NPP’s current flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Ms. Manu said he also faced resistance from different groups within the party while seeking leadership.
She praised Dr. Bawumia for contributing to policy-based political discussions in Ghana and for remaining composed following the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 elections.
According to her, party members must now rally behind him in the same way they supported former Presidents Kufuor and Akufo-Addo.
Ms. Manu, however, warned that internal divisions and a sense of entitlement remain major threats to the party’s future.
She argued that some party members place too much emphasis on how long individuals have belonged to the NPP rather than on their contributions and capabilities.
“This entitlement does not question impact. It does not ask what you sacrificed or what you built. It asks only how long have you been here,” she said.
The former parliamentary candidate cautioned that such attitudes could discourage committed members and prevent the party from selecting the best people for leadership positions.
She further called on the party’s incoming national executives to strengthen the NPP’s core values of sacrifice, honesty, integrity and dedication to national development.
Ms. Manu addressed the concerns of young party supporters, many of whom she said became discouraged following the NPP’s electoral defeat in 2024.
According to her, many young people remain eager to see the party return to power but are unwilling to support internal conflicts driven by personal ambitions.
She urged party elders to place the interests of the NPP above their individual goals and to demonstrate leadership that attracts rather than alienates members.
“The NPP is bigger than any one of us. It always has been. Our collective responsibility is to act like it,” she stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
