General Secretary of the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council, Emmanuel Ohene Agyekum says transport Operators welcome the decision by the government to reintroduce road toll.

Speaking in an interview with Sompa FM's Ade Akye Abiaa show host Nana Kwame Owusu Nkwantabisa, the Secretary said, the deplorable nature of the country's road pose death threats to road users hence the reintroduction would enable the government to continue the construction of motorable roads.

He supported the decision to adjust the levy upwards, saying the old levy was not significant as compared to the amount of money needed in the construction of a kilometer of road.

Ohene Agyekum, however, indicated that, it was imperative on the part of the government to be patient in the reintroduction of the road levy so that mechanism would be put in place to avert any wastage in the collected revenue.

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 Minority in Parliament is calling on the government to completely de-cap the Road Fund, allowing it to solely finance road projects and pay contractor debts.

According to the minority, it will support the reinstatement of road tolls only if the government accepts its suggestion.

It comes on the back of the proposed increase in rates following government’s decision to reintroduce road tolls after abolishing the collection in 2021.

Source: Ghana/Sompaonline.com/Akua Nyarko