A professor of political science at the University of Ghana has chided the government for the knee-jerk action of cancelling the collection of road tolls and attempts to reintroduce same.
Responding to the plan to reintroduce road tolls, he condemned the government for the intransigence exhibited when there were calls on the government to rethink its decision to abolish tolls on the road that generated some resources for the nation, particularly in the wake of the nation’s economic misery.
He said “Now we want to reintroduce the road tolls? Good idea. But what went into the decision to cancel it? Governance is too serious a business to be left in the hands of mere political point scorers. The ideals of the Philosopher King are to guide those ruling!”
He called on the government to be responsive and listen to voices of dissent as he who is cutting a path would never know if his back is crooked.
The government has revised the schedules of the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2022, (Act 1080).
The amendments are in line with the government’s intention to restart collecting tolls on some roads pending the completion of the steps to identify the roads and highways to be affected by the reintroduction of the tolls.
To this end, the Ministry of Finance has commenced the procedures, necessary to determine the toll foundation rates while the Ministry of Roads and Highways considers them.
The proposed rates have witnessed an average increase of 88 percent from the previous charges.
The Finance Ministry in a statement said, “we are by this letter sending the recommended rates for input by the Ministry of Roads and Highways to enable this Ministry to finalize the schedule of fees under the upcoming Legislative Instrument”.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Parliament’s Roads and Highways Committee in Parliament, Kennedy Osei Nyarko wants road tolls pegged at GH¢5.
Kennedy Osei Nyarko believes that setting the toll at GH¢5 will help the government generate more revenue for the country.
