General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, has thrown his weight behind the Roads Minister's suspension of road tolls following the 2022 Budget statement presentation by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta on Wednesday, November 17.
Delivering the budget before Parliament, the Finance Minister indicated that the government has scrapped the road tolls nationwide.
''Government has abolished all tolls on public roads and bridges. This takes effect immediately the Budget is approved,” he stated emphatically.
Prior to the approval of the budget, the Roads Minister in a statement on Monday directed that toll collection at the various toll booths across the country should be halted effective Thursday, November 18, 2021.
"Following the presentation of the 2022 Budget by the Hon. Minister of Finance on behalf of His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana on Wednesday, November 17, 2021, the Ministry of Roads and Highways hereby directs the cessation of the collection of road and bridge tolls at all locations nationwide. This directive takes effect from 12am on Thursday, November 18, 2021,” the statement read.
But the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has directed the Roads and Highways Minister to immediately withdraw the directive.
“This House cannot be taken for granted,” he said, stressing “that is not democracy and that will be one-man rule; and so, I want to clearly direct that what the minister has released has no effect”.
However, the NPP General Secretary believes abolishing the road tolls is a right step.
According to him, there were too many "nuisance" toll booths across the country and also generated less revenue for the country.
Furthermore, the toll booths created huge traffic because "the roads were not made for cars to stop but rather to move on it, so the more cars are stationary when they reach the booths, the greater the destruction on the roads" he further said.
John Boadu, commending the government for this bold step, also disclosed; "The whole Ghana, in all the 37 toll booths we have, the revenue they generate is 78 million . . . and even this 37 toll booths, just a few of them raise about 80% of the money".
He made this submission on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' Friday morning.
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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You now call 78 million ONLY? It's not your fault I blame the people who keep voting NDC/NPP to power. One day one day you guys will pay for what you are doing to this country. Your children will change their names to cover their identity.
At least those traders invested in goods (had inventory) before the annoucement. It is known that it is illegal to trade at the toll booths but ***barred word*** governments have looked unconcern all this while. If you want to stop the practice of collecting tolls, give notice (for about a month) like people who are resigning from employment, so that the traders can get rid of their wares. This decision is irrational.
But does the Speaker have such power to instruct a minister who has taken a decision on behalf of the Executive arm of government? The Speaker must hasten slowly in his attempt of carrying himself as either higher than the President or the President himself. There should be coordination of purpose for common good of governance for our country. There's too much of politicking and needless show of power. It was absolutely not necessary for the Speaker to issue that threat. Toll booths in the country cost us more than what is economically expected. Therefore, if there's administrative fiat for its suspension, it must not be seen or viewed from the political power angle but rather a broader sense approach. How can a Speaker threaten a minister with contempt without the consensus of the full House? Is the Speaker representing himself or the full House;both the majority and minority? When did the House agree to threaten the minister with contempt? Mr. Speaker, slow down. We're all counting on your experience but not what we're seeing. We count on you to execute your functions devoid of strict partisan politics.