Adnan Adams Mohammed
The current NDC-led government has indicated its intention to reintroduce the tollbooth levy collection which was scrapped by the erstwhile NPP government.
The finance minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson’s resolve to reintroduce the road toll levy collection this year ignited much interest and massive support from the stakeholders and the general public.
Notable among the stakeholders are the road users and former collectors at the tollbooths as well as the product vendors operating around the tollbooths. On the part of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Mr Samuel Amoah, the National Deputy Public Relations Officer okayed the reintroduction of road tolls, emphasizing the need for their effective implementation to enhance the financing of the transport sector. He noted that, the primary objective of road tolls is to fund road maintenance stressing that, revenues collected must be managed transparently and accountably to ensure proper infrastructure development.
As part of proposed reforms, the Minister of Roads, Kwame Governs Agbodza, had indicated the adoption of an electronic toll collection system to manage the biggest challenge of traffic congestion at toll booths across the country. However, he criticised the scrapping of the road tolls as an “illegal” decision that disregarded existing laws.
“The reintroduction of road tolls will not involve building obstructions on the road. Instead, it will be a fair and efficient technological platform designed to simplify collection and accountability,” he explained.
The funds, he said, would be pivotal in tackling the country’s extensive road infrastructure challenges.
Road tolls were first introduced in Ghana in the early 1990s as a means of generating revenue for the construction and maintenance of roads across the country.
They became a common feature on major highways and roads, with vehicles being required to pay a toll for using these routes.
However in 2021, the Akufo-Addo-led administration made the controversial decision to abolish road tolls as part of the budget for that year.
The government justified the decision by stating that the tolls had become inefficient and costly to collect, and that the revenue generated was minimal in comparison to the expenses involved in running the toll system.
The cancellation was then replaced with the controversial Electronic Levy.
Meanwhile, in a U-turn, the former Finance Minister, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, in July last year announced governments plans to reintroduce the road toll collection after it approved an additional GH¢1.5 billion for settling unresolved claims associated with financial management companies.
“Mr. Speaker, Cabinet has also granted approval for the disbursement of an additional GHc 1.5 billion to settle outstanding claims relating to the financial management companies; the establishment of a framework for the re-introduction of Road and Bridge Tolls in 2025,” Dr Amin Adam told Parliament during the presentation of the mid-year fiscal policy review for 2024.
The reintroduction announcement marks a significant step in addressing Ghana’s infrastructure challenges while leveraging technology to ensure transparency and efficiency in revenue collection.
The proposed system also promises a sustainable approach to road maintenance without disrupting traffic flow.
With plans for re-engaging displaced workers and focusing on strategic interventions, the initiative aims to modernise Ghana’s road management system while addressing long-standing issues in infrastructure development.
Highlighting the growth of Ghana’s road fund revenue, the Roads Minister noted an increase from GH¢250 million annually during former Minister Inusa Fuseni’s tenure to over GH¢2 billion in recent years.
