Every citizen should play his part to consolidate Ethiopia’s role as the diplomatic hub of Africa, according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Meles Alem told the media today that the Diplomacy Week and Exhibition, which has been open for the past two weeks, has played important role in sensitizing citizens and the diplomatic community.
The exhibition, which was expected to be closed tomorrow, has been extended, he added.
Extension of the exhibition will give ample opportunity to African brothers and sisters who will be taking part in the upcoming 37th Summit of African Heads of State and Government.
The spokesperson stated that the 44th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union will be held from February 14 to 15, and the 37th Summit will be held from February 17 to 18, 2024 in Addis Ababa, respectively.
As the seat of the African Union and champion of Pan-Africanism, Ethiopia has made the necessary preparations for the successful conclusion o
f the conference.
The preparation committee for the assembly has made the necessary preparations in collaboration with the AU, according to Meles.
The spokesperson said that the assembly would create opportunity to promote the best practices in areas such as agriculture and tourism as well as the Green Legacy Initiative.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency
Mr Emmanuel Gemegah. the Municipal Chief Executive of Keta has justified the collection of the new emission levy on vehicles, which starts from February 01
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) announced the Emissions Levy Act, 2023 (Act 1112), which imposes a levy on carbon dioxide and equivalent emissions on internal combustion engine vehicles to commence on February 01, 2024.
The levy generated a lot of controversies among sections of Ghanaians sighting it as a burden on the already overburdened Ghanaians, particularly vehicle owners.
In an exclusive interview with Ghana News Agency on Thursday, the Municipal Chief Executive justified the collection of the levy saying, ‘This act was passed in Parliament by all the parliamentarians from the two parties, they gave their authority to the executive to collect this levy for development of the nation.’
He referred to international law; ‘The Paris Accord or Paris Agreement’ which was adopted on 12th December 2015 and came into force on 4th November 2016.
This agreement was meant to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, and to achieve these, ‘States must enact relevant laws to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions to promote the use of eco-friendly technology and green energy.’
He also called on the Parliamentarians to help educate the public on it.
‘I am calling on Mr Kwame Gakpey, Mr Richard Sefe and Madam Dzifa Gomashie to come down to educate our people on this new levy on how it came about, let us not make it look as if it was an imposition by the President or the Finance Minister on Ghanaians,’ Mr Gemegah said.
According to the act, Motorcycles and tricycles will be paying GHC75 per annum, Motor vehicles, buses, and coaches up to 3000 cubic centimetres will be charged GHC150 per annum, Motor vehicles, buses, and coaches above 3000 cubic centimetres will pay GHC300 per annum while Cargo trucks and articulated trucks are to pay GHC300 per annum.
Mr Gemegah pleaded with citizens to accept the payment of the levy saying,
‘Taxes develop a nation, we cannot expect the government to build our schools, construct roads and provide us water if we do not pay taxes and levies, so as citizens, let us embrace the culture of paying taxes to help change our communities.’
Source: Ghana News Agency