Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah, has announced that Ghana’s road toll rate will be reviewed because the current one is inadequate.

Speaking to the media about future road projects his ministry plans to undertake, Mr Amoako-Attah stated that the government has not been able to generate the expected revenue from road tolls to meet road infrastructure objectives due to low toll collection returns.

“We were paying the lowest toll in the whole world, while we wanted excellent and good roads. For a whole year, we were getting an average of GH¢78 million. If you deduct salaries and whatever from it, how much is left? Depending on the ground condition, that amount of money cannot even build 10 km of road,” he said.

Prior to a directive banning their collection in November 2021, road tolls were 50 pesewas or GH¢1 nationwide.

According to the Roads Minister, motorists must be willing to pay more if they want to travel on good roads.

“If we want good roads, then we must be prepared to pay more. We will no longer be paying fifty pesewas and one cedi. Tolls are even more expensive abroad,” Mr Amoako-Attah added.

He however did not reveal the exact amount to be charged.

The new road toll rate can only be implemented after the approval of the 2023 budget statement and economic policy currently before Parliament.

When the government announced its decision to cease the collection of road tolls, the minority disapproved of its plan.

Deputy Finance Minister, John Kumah, however, argued that the collection of the toll was  inequitable and inefficient because it affected just a particular group of individuals and could not bring in the needed revenue.

“The rich were enjoying the road toll and the poor were paying more. So we thought it should be scrapped and put it on something that can cover everybody. The whole year, Ghana was getting GH78 million from road toll,” he said.

Last year, while presenting the 2022 budget statement, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta revealed that the government will implement a new tax measure, the Electronic Transaction Levy (e-levy), in place of road tolls, the proceeds of which will be used for road construction.

However, the government appears to have made a U-turn, as Mr Ofori-Atta announced the return of road tolls in some specific locations due to the government failing to meet its target with the e-levy at the current rate of 1.5%.

He made this known while delivering the mid-year budget review, as well as the 2023 budget statement, two weeks ago.

For about a year, toll booths have not been operational.

Its return expected next year is to come with some upgrades. Mr Amoako Atta says the mode of collection will be electronic.

“We are going to build a modern express way, which will come with tolling facilities, but those tolling facilities will be electronic tolling facilities. If it has to come, it will be done electronically,” he stated.

This is expected to address the heavy traffic congestion caused by slow attendance by the attendants.

Meanwhile, the Toll Workers’ Union has opposed the use of advanced technology, arguing that it would render most of its members jobless, and thus the government and the union will have to engage.

“We could have the one that will need the involvement of workers, it doesn’t necessarily have to be that they are paying physical cash to workers, but they will be there to assist in one way or the other,” General Secretary for the union, Edward Duncan, said.

Source: The Independent Ghana