Prepare to pay more for road tolls in 2023; GH50p and GH¢1 era over - Roads Minister

Ghanaians will no longer pay 50pesewas, GH¢1 as road tolls from 2023.

This is according to the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta.

He said the toll collection, which will be reintroduced in 2023, will be done electronically and not manually, as it used to be.

He also added that the increase in road tolls is to help the government build good roads in the country.

"We were paying the lowest toll in the whole world while we wanted excellent and good roads. If we want good roads, then we must be prepared to pay more. We will no longer be paying the fifty pesewas and one cedi. Tolls are even more expensive abroad," he is quoted by myjoyonline.com.

He added: "We are going to build a modern expressway, 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."

Meanwhile, the finance minister announced the abolishment of road tolls in the 2022 budget. Despite opposition, road tolls were not collected for the entire 2022 financial year.

Making a U-turn, the government told parliament that "the fiscal policy measures to underpin the 2023 Budget for consideration and approval by Parliament include the reintroduction of tolls on selected public roads and highways with a renewed focus on leveraging technology in the collection to address the inefficiencies characterized by the previous toll collection regime."

However, Amoako explained that "road tolls have not been cancelled or abolished since the law to collect tolls is still there."

SSD/FNOQ