Decap road fund if you want to increase road tolls - Minority

The Minority in Parliament has served notice it will resist any attempt by the government to increase road tolls.

The Minority says if the government wants to increase road tolls, they should first de-cap the Road Fund.

The Ranking Member on the Roads and Transport Committee of Parliament, Governs Kwame Agbodza, told journalists on Tuesday that it will support efforts by the government to raise funds for road projects, but the government should first remove the cap on the Fund.

“The Roads Minister is unable to tell the Finance Minister to de-cap the Road Fund. In the 2021 budget, the Finance Ministry agreed that the Road Fund gets about GH¢1.8 billion, but only GH¢1 billion will be available. The Finance Ministry takes the [remaining] money away and uses it for consumption.”

“We agree with government that we must get more resources to the Roads Ministry to improve our roads, we will support the government in that endeavour, but we will not support the government to increase road tolls unless the government is able to de-cap the road fund and give all that money to the Roads Ministry, and then we can discuss the gap that will be left. Till then, they cannot get the support of our side of the house to increase road tolls,” the MP said.