Mid-Year Budget Review: Government To Reintroduce Road Tolls In 2025
- The government has approved the establishment of the framework for reintroducing road and bridge tolls in 2025
- This was announced on the floor of parliament by the finance minister, Dr Amin Adam, during the mid-year budget review
- He said the tolls are part of a broader strategy to improve road infrastructure funding and management in the country
The cabinet has approved the establishment of the framework for reintroducing road and bridge tolls in 2025.
The Finance Minister, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, revealed this during the Mid-Year Budget Review in parliament today, Tuesday, July 23, 2024.
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He said the reintroduction of the tolls is part of a broader strategy to improve road infrastructure funding and management in the country.
Earlier, the Works and Housing Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, had also affirmed the cabinet’s approval of reintroducing the road tolls.
He said the approval followed calls from the ruling New Patriotic Party’s flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and the Roads Minister, Francis Asenso Boakye, to bring back the tolls.
Oppong Nkrumah explained that while the tolls would not be introduced immediately, the finance minister would provide a road map for their reintroduction.
Contention with road tolls
There has been some contention concerning the return of the road toll, which was abolished in November 2021.
While the minority in parliament has vehemently opposed the abolishment of the road tolls, certain factions within the government have been calling for its return.
One of the staunchest supporters of the return of the road toll, Roads and Highways Minister, Francis Asenso Boakye, said his outfit has been talking with stakeholders to bring back the tolls.
He said bringing back the road tolls is a matter of necessity, citing the country's current fiscal challenges.
He explained that the road tolls are meant to fund the repair of deteriorating roads across the country.
However, the new road tolls will not require manpower.
He said the tolls to be introduced will be digitised and automated to avoid causing a traffic jam at the booth and reduce pollution in the area.
The minister of state quickly rebutted his views at the finance ministry’s Abena Osei Asare who said the government would not reintroduce the road tolls.
During her vetting on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, she said the decision to abolish the road tolls was political, and so far, there is no indication the government wants to reverse it.
She told the committee that the 2024 budget statement read by the former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, did not mention road tolls, and thus, tolls will not be reinstated this year.
Government’s stance on road tolls wayward - Minority
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that the Minority in Parliament has labelled the government's U-turn on road tolls as wayward.
The minority says the government's decision to reintroduce the road toll after vehemently defending its suspension shows how inconsistent and out of touch it is.
He said the NDC would welcome the return of the road tolls to ensure the proper maintenance of roads across Ghana.
Proofread by Berlinda Entsie, journalist and copy editor at YEN.com.gh
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Source: YEN.com.gh
