Road Toll Reinstatement: The Government is not serious – Wassa East MP

The Member of Parliament for the Wassa East Constituency in the Western Region Isaac Agyei Mensah has described the ruling NPP government as unserious people over the decision to reinstate road toll on some major roads in the country.

Speaking on Ahotor 92.3 Fm’s Morning ‘Ade Kyi Mu Nsem‘, Hon. Agyei Mensah said the decision to abolish the road toll in the first place is unwise decision.

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 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”.

This year, the government will resume the collection of road tolls on selected roads in the country.

The reinstatement of the road toll was one of the revenue-generating plans in the 2023 budget that Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, submitted to Parliament last November.

Payment of tolls on public roads ceased in November 2021 as part of policy measures announced by the government in the 2022 Budget a move that displaced several road toll collectors.

The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, admitted that the suspension of road toll collection had hampered the government’s revenue generation.

He claims that the hasty decision made in anticipation of the passage of the E-levy has now become a major issue, with the government struggling to deal with it.

Hon. Isaac Agyei Mensah believes the NPP are lacking ideas on how to govern the country that is why they are going back and forth with their decisions making.