Emission tax amounts to double taxation – Okada Riders Association

Okada Riders Association in Ghana has expressed worry over the Emission Tax introduced by the government describing it as double taxation.

This comes on the back of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) announcing the Emissions Levy Act, 2023 (Act 1112) which comes into effect February 1, 2024.

According to the GRA, the ACT imposes a levy on carbon dioxide equivalent emissions on internal combustion engine vehicles.

The GRA further explained that the move forms part of the government’s efforts aimed at dealing with greenhouse gas emissions to encourage the use of green energy and eco-friendly technology to enhance environmental management and reduce overall pollution levels in the air and water.

Speaking on Morning Starr with Francis Abaan, the President of the Okada Riders Association, Michael Kofi Owusu said the government has been unfair to them with the emission tax.

“The government is not fair with us, the fairness we are talking about is that already there is some ten percent we pay when we go to the pump, are you going to abolish it or it will still be there and still maintain the annual levy?

“Do we have a daily levy for pollution and annual tax as well? Every day we buy fuel which means we are paying 40 pesewas per gallon. I cannot use one gallon to work the whole day so it means that the government is taking more than two cedis from me,” Mr. Kofi Owusu stated.

He continued: “Then at the end of the year you are taking another amount from me again for what? This government will increase it again after taking it for the first year. They will increase it next year. We are highly disappointed in this government when it comes to taxation. You say you are moving us from taxation to production but you are deeper in taxation than anything else.”