Navigating Policy Paradoxes: Analysing Contradictions in Emission Levy with Electric Vehicle Exemptions for Sustainable Urban Transportation in Ghana.

Timothy Harvor, University of Ghana

The urban transportation landscape in Ghana grapples with various issues such as traffic congestion and environmental degradation. To combat these, the government has proposed a bill aimed at taxing fossil-fuel vehicles and encouraging sustainable transportation. While this mirrors global efforts towards eco-friendly transit, concerns arise regarding its social equity implications, particularly its impact on gender and income groups. Is an emission levy the optimal solution for Ghana's transportation emissions? Through a mixed-method study on sustainable urban commuting, I analyzed data from diverse stakeholders. Results indicate that the heaviest emitters are users of low-occupancy fossil-fuel vehicles, mainly from low and middle-income brackets. Thus, I argue that the emission levy disproportionately burdens these groups and fails to address core transportation challenges. Instead, government efforts should prioritize improving mass transit and road infrastructure. This critique underscores the necessity for equitable and effective policies in fostering green transportation in urban Ghana.