Government abolishes road tolls, set to reassign personnel
Road tolls will no longer be demanded from drivers that ply certain routes in the country, said, the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta while presenting the 2022 budget today Wednesday, November 17, 2021, on the floor of Parliament.
Though he enumerated the importance of the tolling system in Ghana’s road infrastructure, he said at some point tolling points were creating some inconvenience.
“Over the years, the tolling points have become unhealthy market centres, led to heavy traffic on our roads, lengthened travel time from one place to another, and impacted negatively on productivity.
“The congestion generated at the tolling points, besides creating these inconveniences, also leads to pollution in and around those vicinities,” Ken Ofori-Atta said.
To address these challenges, he said that it was necessary for the government to take a decision against the set up of tolling points.
The abolishment of road tolls, according to the Minister, “takes effect immediately the Budget is approved.”
“Government has abolished all tolls on public roads and bridges. This takes effect immediately the Budget is approved,” he announced
Ken Ofori-Atta mentioned that toll collection “personnel will be reassigned”
“The expected impact on productivity and reduced environmental pollution will more than offset the revenue forgone by removing the tolls,” he added.
The Finance Minister, during the 2022 budget reading, did not, factor in how the government intends to raise funds to finance its road deficit.
Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, had revealed that just about 30% of vehicles in the country pay road tolls.
He said that the money generated from these road users was not enough to cater for the expansion of road infrastructure across the country, hence, the need to “come to an era where everyone pays something.”
The Information Minister assured that road tolls will not be included in the cost of petrol.
He also indicated that analysis made by the government showed that such an action would have far-reaching consequences on the standard of living of Ghanaians.
“Our analysis shows the consequence and the kind of hardship that it could bring on food prices, transport fares, and general inflation.
“So you may have to move from there and move to some other measure that allows a lot more people to participate in it and at the same time protect the poor and the vulnerable,” he said.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
