Deputy Minister of Finance, Thomas Ampem Nyarko, has disclosed that the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration did not implement the Emissions Levy, despite securing parliamentary approval for it.
Addressing Parliament on Thursday, Mr. Nyarko explained that although the legislative groundwork for the levy was completed, practical challenges hindered its rollout, resulting in no revenue being collected.
“The act imposes an emissions levy on carbon dioxide equivalent emissions from specified sectors, internal combustion vehicles, and provides for related matters. Although the legal framework was put in place, the actual operationalization of the levy faced implementation delays. As a result, no revenue was generated from the levy under the previous administrations,” he stated.
His comments come in the wake of Parliament’s decision on March 26 to repeal both the Emissions Levy and the Betting Tax. The move was widely welcomed by businesses, individuals, and industry stakeholders who had raised concerns about the financial strain these taxes placed on operations and livelihoods.
The Emission Levy was introduced as part of efforts to reduce carbon emissions and promote environmental sustainability, met strong resistance—particularly from vehicle owners and business operators—who argued that the policy increased their cost of living and doing business.