The Head of Public Relations of the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Mr. Nasir Ahmad Yartey has hinted on the possible introduction of electronic tollbooths.
Speaking with Peace FM News, he indicated that this decision would be implemented by next year.
He said the Government will introduce the collection of electronic tolling system on some selected newly constructed roads.
According to him this system is better than the usual manual way of collecting tolls which causes traffic on our roads, but this new system will require a card which will respond after it has been swapped.
He revealed that most of our roads do not have the infrastructure which will allow the collection of roads in the country, so the Government is securing these infrastructure on newly constructed roads to enable the efficient collection of the electronic tolls.
According to Mr. Nasir Ahmed Yartey, the survey conducted showed that Ghana was paying the lowest toll in the whole world with the 0.50p and Ghc 1 but they were not adequate to construct good roads.
Therefore, there will be an increment in the amount paid as road tolls to obtain more funds to construct good roads in the country.
Payment of tolls on public roads ceased in November 2021 as part of the policy measures announced by the government under the 2022 Budget.
However, the government has reintroduced it as one of the revenue measures in the 2023 budget presented to Parliament by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
“The fiscal policy measures to underpin the 2023 Budget for consideration and approval by Parliament include the reintroduction of tolls on selected public roads and highways with a renewed focus on leveraging technology in the collection to address the inefficiencies characterized by the previous toll collection regime,” paragraph 462 of the 2023 Budget statement reads.
Source: Gifty Akoto, Peace FM News
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As for this roads minister deaa, so why didn't you allow payment of road tolls to continue whilst you look for ways and means of blocking the loopholes identified in the system but suspended the collection. You are reported to have said that the law on collection of road tolls have not been abolished, so which law did you stand on to call for the suspension without recourse to parliament. In Ghana can a minister unilaterally suspended a law that is already in place? Government keeps saying a lot of income earners are not paying tax thus the reason why government resorts to loans to support the budget in the implementation of certain projects. Can the finance minister unilaterally suspended the income tax law such that all tax payers will cease paying tax whilst he now looks for ways and at ensuring that no tax payer in Ghana can escape from paying tax? Can the roads minister quantity the number of long vehicles from neighboring landlocked countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger which have crossed over to Ghana to carry heavy cargo at our ports destroying our roads without paying a pesewa to the Ghana road fund by way of tolls? Is the minister aware that Ghana's long vehicles which carry goods into these countries pay road tolls in and out? Has any driver or road user in Ghana complained about paying of road tolls? Why suspend a toll that cannot be escaped once you drive on Ghana's roads and now rely on a levy that can be avoided legally i.e. E-levy to fund road projects, how, how? If i don't transfer money electronically i don't pay for E-levy , very easy/ simple to avoid . Can someone drives on Ghana's roads and avoid payment of road tolls? At times you just can't imagine what goes into the thinks of Ghana's so called politicians in some of the directives and policies they come out with, you just can't understand. Between the time of the suspension and now, couldn't the minister have used what was accrued within that period to pay these contractors who have been hooking/ mowing the tall grasses and bushes on the highways to enhance the visibility of drivers. These category of contractors says they have not been paid for the past 3 years, why? Will one be far away from the truth if one says it's the appointees of Akuffo Addo who are making the NPP unpopular through their actions and inactions, could any minister in the Rawlings, even gentle Kufour, father for all Mills and Mahama governments do same and still be at post? . Anyway.
Am calling on the minister of roads to be pragmatic with his ideas of eletronic toll booths. Can he give ghanaians an example of west africa where the application of electronic toll booth is efficiently working. Even at the International Airport of Accra the electronic tool booths are almost at default. What are you talking about, electronic toll booth??? Be since with yourself and dont throw dust in the eyes of Ghanaians. Work out the modalities of electronic speed controls on the high ways to reduce carnage on our roads. Distinguish between the theroy and the praxis.