Tolls on all public highways in the nation will be eliminated, according to the administration.
This was stated in the 2022 budget statement and economic policy given to Parliament by Ken Ofori-Atta, Finance Minister, on Wednesday, November 17, 2021.
According to the minister, the government has determined that toll booths are causing more damage than good, necessitating their removal.
Toll booths, he claims, produce high traffic and have a bad influence on productivity.
The decision will take effect once the budget is approved.
“To address these challenges, the government has abolished all tolls on public roads and bridges. This takes effect immediately after the budget is approved,” the Finance Minister said.
The government will reassign the people who work at the different toll booths, he said.
There was anticipation before the budget reading that the government may hike road tolls in order to bolster domestic revenue.
Some have also proposed eliminating tolls and substituting them with a one-time payment at the time of car roadworthy renewals.
The money earned through tolls is often used to repair and maintain public roadways.
Some say that road tolls have failed to improve the status of the country’s roadways, instead of causing problems such as traffic congestion.
In presenting the budget, Ken Ofori-Atta said that, although tolls assist to repair and maintain roads, the advantages of not having them now exceed their purpose.
“Our roads need fixing. Our roads are being fixed. It is true that more roads have been fixed and are being fixed over the last five years than any relative period in the entire history of our nation. We even want to do a lot more and this budget will cater for this. That is why for decades, Government after Government imposed and maintained tolls on some public roads to raise funds for road construction and maintenance. This is the situation in many countries. However, over the years, the tolling points have become unhealthy market centers, led to heavy traffic on our roads, lengthened travel time from one place to another, and impacted negatively on productivity. The congestion generated at the tolling points, besides creating these inconveniences, also leads to pollution in and around those vicinities,” the minister said.
Read Also: Xavier Sosu submits a motion to safeguard human rights and thwart unlawful arrests
