We are with you – Minority MPs assures aggrieved tollbooth workers
After protest by aggrieved toll collectors in front of Parliament House, the Minority caucus has waded in and also indicated their resolve to ensure that cessation of bridge and road toll collection is reversed.
They are of the view that the various toll booth workers of which some are persons with disabilities also deserve to earn a decent living.
The plight of the said tollbooth workers was laid to bare after cries and chants during their protest on Tuesday 30th November 2021 asking the government what is the next job option for them as they have been rendered redundant through this notice and stipulations in the 2022 budget.
Also, they added that the directive from the Roads and Highways Minister has really impacted their means of survival.
The Deputy Minority Chief Whip Ahmed Ibrahim upon receipt of their petition assured the workers that, the Minority will see to it that their concerns are addressed.
“We started fighting for you even before you thought of your petition, and this is a house of rules and regulations. There are procedures to be followed, and it is good that your petition has also come at the right and also confirms the position that was taken by the house itself.”
“So while you have brought this, we will go and juxtapose this with the comments that were made on the floor and the Speaker direction that was given. Abrupt abrogation of that economic zone will not be to the benefit of the persons with disabilities. So whatever we would do as your representatives, we will do it.”
Also, Mr Edward Duncan who is the Secretary of the Toll Workers Group has assured that they are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to have the cessation of road toll collection reversed though the 2022 budget has been approved.
“We will wait and see in the coming days how things will unfold because the comments coming from the Minority suggests to us that the approval by the Majority is illegal, and it shouldn’t stand. So we will wait to see in the coming days what will come out, and then we will advise ourselves accordingly.”
An announcement of the intended scrapping the collection of road tolls by the Finance Minister led the Road and Highways Minister Mr Amoako-Atta to issue a directive across the country on Thursday, November 18 2021.
The directive by the Minister did not go down well with the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin who called on the Minister to withdraw the directive.
Mr. Bagbin explained that such a directive needs to be approved by Parliament before it comes into effect.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
