Government bringing back tollbooths but will automate them – Ken Agyapong

Government is to reintroduce tollbooths but will automate them to increase revenue collection, member of Parliament for Assin Central Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has hinted.

“The Finance Minister rushed a bit which resulted in misunderstanding.
We have over 39 tollbooths in this country but with all the tolls they collect, what goes to government is 68 million cedis. Meanwhile, in a month, Tema motorway alone, they rake in 35 million cedis a month. It is good it has been closed down.How can a Government set up a business for individuals to enrich themselves? Good it has been closed down. What we are going to do now is automation,” he said while answering a question from a participant at a youth empowerment forum in Koforidua on Friday.

He stressed: “Automated system will take record of every car that passes through so the government knows how many cars drove through so that the private operator, government’s calculation will be based on the number of cars recorded.

“I will tell you, Ghanaians are naturally born bad. 39 tollbooths and you make 68 million cedis and they have enriched themselves”.

In November 2021 during the presentation of the 2022 budget statement and Economic policy, the Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta indicated that Ghana’s roads need fixing and are being fixed but considering the plight of Ghanaians, government has abolished all tolls on public roads and bridges. The action was to take effect immediately the Budget was approved.

However, few hours after the budget was read, the Roads and Highways Minister Kwasi Amoako Atta directed the immediate discontinuation of toll collection on all public roads and bridges across the country.