In opposition to the government’s Emissions Levy, the Food and Beverage Association of Ghana (FABAG) is advocating for increased investments in diversifying Ghana’s energy mix.
FABAG emphasizes the importance of safeguarding the environment and discourages the imposition of a flat-rate levy on Ghanaians.
The chairman of FABAG, John Awuni on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, February 6, bemoaned the huge taxes already levied on Ghanaian companies and urged the government to withdraw the Emissions Levy.
John Awuni described the current economic situation as acidic, which he said is affecting the standards of living of Ghanaians and questioned the government’s reason for imposing the levy as a means to reduce emissions in hopes of protecting the environment.
“If the government has its ears on the ground, it will know that the economy is acidic. No salary growth has occurred in the past years. The incomes of people have dwindled, inflation rates are high, and rent, school fees, and medical bills have all gone up. Not only has the economy become acidic, but homes have also become acidic.
“If we have not achieved what the government said it was going to achieve to make it friendly for the environment in all these years, how can we trust that the government will be able to make the environment friendly with the Emissions Levy?”
He, therefore, urged the government to develop nuclear and solar energy sources to complement the country’s energy mix, which he said are also environmentally friendly.
“There are other energy sources that the government can turn to to save the environment. These include nuclear, solar, and hydro, but we are currently depending on hydro, so if the government wants to save the environment, it should explore other sources and not an emission levy.”