File photo of a tollbooth
Experienced Ghanaian Engineer, Abdulai Mahama, has charged the government of Ghana to humbly admit they erred by closing down toll booths on the highways of the nation.
The engineer, who from the onset had advised the government against the closure of toll booths, also predicted their reintroduction.
Road tolls were scrapped in the 2022 budget as the government moved to introduce the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy).
However, abandoned toll booths along major roads in the country will be put to work starting in 2023 as part of the government's revenue generation measures. The amount charged at the toll booths will also be increased.
This is part of the measures outlined in the 2023 budget statement presented to Parliament by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, on November 24, 2022.
Reacting to the latest development, the engineer said, "the government must be humble and admit it goofed big time. How can you say in the budget that you'll probably close tolls, and at dawn the next day you close them down completely? After closing them down, you also promised to provide alternative jobs for the physically challenged managing these toll booths, but that didn't happen."
He reiterated in an interview with Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show that "the government goofed and has to apologise to Ghanaians."
Engineer Mahama also called out the government for closing toll booths with the excuse that they cause traffic congestion.
"What has changed now? The government said they closed toll booths because of the traffic congestion they caused. But have roads been expanded to cater for these traffic congestions when road tolls are reintroduced next year?" He queried.
