Re-introduction of road tolls: What is wrong with Ofori-Atta – Sam George

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo Prampram, Sam Nartey George, has berated the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government, particularly the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, over the move to reintroduce road polls in Ghana.

Speaking in an interview on Good Morning Ghana on Tuesday, monitored by GhanaWeb, the MP said that after spending state funds to decommission toll booths just over a year ago, the government is going to spend money to rehabilitate them.

He added that the government seems to be planning daily to come up with measures that will make life unbearable for Ghanaians.

“Are we moving forward or backwards? What kind of people are leading this country? The finance minister what is wrong with him?

“They spent more to decommission some of the toll booths. They deprive us of at least GH¢72 million every year. Now we are going to spend money to rehabilitate the toll booths. Now, we are going to pay more (tolls) as citizens.

“What crime have we committed? Even when God was hungry with the people of Israel, in the Bible, he didn’t give them a king so wicked. What is this? It looks like they sit down and plan on how to punish Ghanaians - what can we do to make life more unbearable for them,” he said.

He added that the minority caucus in Parliament won the government about the move but they did not listen.

The MP made these remarks while reacting to a press statement by the Minister of Finance which indicated that the tolls were going to be reintroduced.

In the press release sighted by GhanaWeb, the finance minister wrote to the Ministry of Roads and Highways to confirm the approved fees as tolls on roads and bridges will be reintroduced this year.

According to Ken Ofori-Atta, "It is provided under Section 6 of Act 1080 for the Minister to amend the schedules of the Act to include or exclude MDAs and/or adjust the fees and charges collected by MDCs for their services through a Legislative Instrument when necessary."

"Accordingly, this ministry has initiated steps to provide for foundational rates for tolling of roads and highways as part of the amendments of the Act, pending completion of the process to identify the rods and highways to be affected by the reintroduction of the road tolls as stated in the budget," he added.

The approved fees and charges for motorbike users will pay 50 pesewas instead of 19 pesewas.

Saloon car users will pay a fee of GH¢1 rather than the previous 50 pesewas fee.

Pick-ups/4x4 vehicles and light bus users will be charged GH¢1.50 pesewas when the toll booth reopens.

Drivers of heavy buses will also pay GH¢ 2 instead of the GH¢1.50 pesewas they used to pay.

For drivers of medium and heavy goods trucks up to 4 axles, the fee to be paid will be GH¢3 instead of GH¢2.

Watch the interview below:

Reintroduction of Tolls: Does this mean E-Levy would be cancelled? - @samgeorgegh #GoodMorningGhana #MetroTV pic.twitter.com/YphJnPzWNi

— Metropolitan Television (@metrotvgh) March 14, 2023