Government has no justification to increase road toll – Minority

The Minority in Parliament says it will resist all attempts by the government to increase road tolls in the country.

Roads Minister, Kwasi Amoako –Atta, has indicated to Parliament that increasing road tolls is the best way to meet the demands for rehabilitation, maintenance, and construction of new roads.

But according to the Ranking Member on the Roads and Transport Committee of Parliament, Governs Kwame Agbodza, the reasons for an increment in tolls are unjustified.

“The Roads Minister hasn’t justified how he uses the GHS1.8 billion Ghanaians contribute to the Road Fund currently. The problem the Roads Minister has is not because he doesn’t have enough money. It’s simply because the government of President Akufo-Addo has decided that, when Ghanaians contribute to the Road Fund including road toll, they will use only half for road-related work.”

“So the Roads Minister does not have any justification to ask for more. It is not fair to us as Ghanaians to [pay for more. We in the Minority cannot support the government to increase road toll and exacerbate the pain of the ordinary Ghanaian.”

During his vetting in Parliament, Kwasi Amoako-Attah stated that one of the policies he will roll out is to without delay, ensure that road tolls go up marginally should he be maintained by the President.

Parliament is however yet to approve a proposed upward review of the current road toll in the country.

During the presentation of the 2021 budget statement, the government noted that the funds to be generated from the new road tolls would be used to improve and maintain the conditions of the roads in the country.

The demand for good roads is one that successive governments are inundated with periodically.

Despite the substantial investments by governments in the road sector, it has not been enough to show a significant improvement in the country’s overall network of roads.