The Minister for Roads and Highways Francis Asenso-Boakye says plans we’re far advanced to reintroduce road tolls.
The Minister said his ministry is currently engaging key stakeholders to finalise the decision.
He argued that road tolls must be reintroduced to help the government repair some of the country’s deteriorating roads.
Mr. Asenso-Boakye stated that his ministry is seeking the support of key stakeholders to restore road tolls.
“[Road] maintenance also means money. In many countries, they use the tolls that they collect from road tolls to finance maintenance. But in our case, we have suspended it, and I think it is a good time for us to start the discussion to bring these road tolls back and get money to maintain our roads.
“That is very important, and we have started the process by engaging the various stakeholders to get their buy-in to make sure that we bring the road tolls back.”
The Ministry of Roads and Highways directed that toll collection be discontinued countrywide on November 18, 2021.
During the Budget Statement presentation, the then-Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, stated that Ghana’s roads needed to be repaired and are being repaired; however, in light of Ghanaians’ plight, the government has abolished all tolls on public roads and bridges, which will take effect immediately after the Budget is approved.
The Roads and Highways Minister raced to order the immediate suspension of toll collection on all public roads and bridges across the country, just hours after the Finance Minister presented the Government’s 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy for the following year.
The Minority raised serious concerns about the situation and questioned the powers that the Minister relied on to issue such a directive that toll collection at the various toll booths and bridges across the country must be halted effective Thursday, November 18, 2021 when the Budget had not been approved by Parliament.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
