Kwesi Amoako Attah, Roads and Highways Minister-designate
The Roads and Highways Minister-designate, Kwesi Amoako Attah, last week Tuesday stirred the honest nest when he appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
According to the minister-designate, "If I am given the approval, it's one of the things I am going to do immediately. There is going to be a proposal to increase the toll rate, and I am going to bring to this house [Parliament] for support".
Mr. Amoako Attah told the committee, "The research that has been done in my ministry suggests that, on the average, toll rate is about a dollar. In Ghana, a dollar is close to GH¢6 but people pay 50p as road toll."
As a newspaper, we are alarmed by the sheer thought of it, which would result in an increase in transport fare, which ultimately would result in the increase in virtually everything that makes life worth living like foodstuffs.
We are not in principle against the increase in the road toll if only the money collected will be put to good use, but unfortunately in Ghana, corruption, and mismanagement, have arguably been the bane of this country.
Some roads in Ghana, do not deserve to be tolled, one typical example is the Dodowa road, the road has not seen any significant development, although commuters on that road on daily basis pay a road toll.
The planned increment is coming at the time Ghanaians are trying to recover from the shock of COVID-19. Businesses for almost a year now, are yet to find their feet. Governments all over the world are extending palliatives to their citizens to cushion them while navigating through this difficult period, which no one anticipated.
It is high time the government began to think first of the wellbeing of the citizens before the profit they want to make.
Before the minister tells us that government needs money to undertake road projects, factors such as corruption, poor planning, and mismanagement, which have, arguably, been responsible for the situation we are currently in, must be addressed.
This newspaper is of the considered opinion that, there is absolutely no need for tariff increase at this time regardless of the reasons or pressure from any quarters.
