Tunisia will not abandon its public companies and institutions, which are a national treasure,” said President of the Republic Kais Saied during his visit to the National Cellulose and Esparto Paper Company (SNCPA) in Kasserine on Wednesday.

These companies have been damaged since the late 1980s, especially in the early 2000s, the president told TAP. He cited numerous cases of corruption in appointments, contracts and spare parts.

The Head of State stressed the need to save the company, pointing out that “those who do not take urgent measures have no place in the state. The first thing to do is to cleanse the factory of corruption and upgrade its equipment, which dates back to the 1980s.”

He reiterated that “no one can manipulate the will of Tunisian citizens. We must stand together to liberate Tunisia from the lobbies and the corrupt who only want evil for Tunisia.”

The President spoke of developing a rescue programme for state-owned companied facing financial difficulties.

Referring to the issue of th
e Kasserine region’s entitlement to the dividends of growth and development, three of whose delegations are at the bottom of the scale of regional development indicators, namely Hassi Al Ferid, LaSyoune and Jdéliane, the President of the Republic voiced optimism about the future of the Council of Regions and Districts, which he said would empower the country’s various regions to contribute actively to decision-making and to the management of their local affairs without waiting for the goodwill of central government.

With regard to the public projects planned in the governorate of Kasserine that have not yet been implemented, the President of the Republic assured that the funds earmarked for the blocked projects had definitely been allocated for this purpose, denouncing the will of certain sides (without naming them) who are bent on maintaining the current situation.

In this regard, President Saïed warned those who are stubbornly obstructing the completion of these blocked projects that they must assume full
and complete responsibility for their conduct.

During his unannounced visit to the governorate of Kasserine, the Head of State went straight to the headquarters of the the National Cellulose and Esparto Paper Company (SNCPA), the largest state-owned industrial company operating in the region.

On this occasion, a crowd of citizens gathered in front of the company’s headquarters.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

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