No law is sacrosanct – Majority Leader reacts to ‘re-introduction’ of road tolls

The Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has reacted to the announcement by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, that road tolls are to be re-introduced.

According to him, there is no law that is enacted by parliament that is untouchable.

His reaction was also in response to the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, who explained that the minister did not speak about the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) and that he was seeking to re-introduce road tolls in the country.

“I cannot see my way clear. I don’t see any hope for the suffering Ghanaians who expected that this address would at least offer them some respite because of the rising cost of living, the rising cost of doing business, and the rising number of persons affected by extreme poverty. But Mr. Speaker, conspicuously lost in this statement is even returns for E-Levy.

“What is its disappointing performance? The minister failed to tell this House the performance of the E-Levy because there is nothing in the statement – we have not heard anything.

“But Mr. Speaker, what is more important is that, and with that one, I will raise a procedural issue so that we will all be guided… the minister is seeking to reintroduce road tolls through the backdoor,” he said.

But in his response, Osei Kye-Mensah-Bonsu said that the statement by his colleague is inaccurate and appears to be misinforming.

“Let me indicate to him that in any dancing, the dancing skills rest on the knees, and indeed, the heel, not the thigh. So, that analogy is inaccurate. And Mr. Speaker, even listening to the minister, he’s not saying that by this – the Mid-Year Review, is introducing a road toll. Please read what is there and don’t mislead Ghanaians.

“The truth of the matter is, we all do acknowledge that as a nation, we’ve not been reaping enough from the road tolls. It’s one of the reasons why, and considering the damage that is done at the toll area, it was decided that we should do away with it for the time being. Mr. Speaker, no law that is made is sacrosanct, you do know that.

“Mr. Speaker, if we have to re-introduce it… what is intended to be done is to go the electronic way,” he said.

The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, was in parliament on Monday, July 25, 2022, to present the 2022 Mid-Year Budget Review, pursuant to the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).