Abandoned Toll Booth In Ghana Now Serves As Sleeping Places For Homeless People

• Some years ago, Ghana had several booths across the country in which people sat to collect road tolls from drivers
• In 2021, the collection of road tolls was scrapped, and an order was given for the collectors to vacate the booths
• The toll booths are now serving different purposes from the main reasons they were constructed

A video showing a woman using a toll booth as her home has got people on social media talking.

In the video, the woman had set fire right at the booth entrance and was cooking while smoke billowed.

The small toll booth contained items such as utensils and a gallon of water most likely belonging to the person cooking there.

Right in front of the entrance to the booth is a pile of firewood probably belonging to the person cooking.

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Government announces end of road tolls

On November 18, 2021, the Ministry of Roads and Highway stopped the collection of road tolls at the various toll booths across the country.

It was speculated that the toll booths would be transformed into public urinals, but the Ministry of Roads and Highways denied this move.

Contrary to information in the public domain, the Ministry said in a statement on February 16, 2022, that it does not intend to convert the toll booth facilities to urinals. Instead, it plans to remodel the 38 toll booths nationwide into police stations, first aid/emergency centres, towing services centres, ambulance centres, and other ancillary services to re-engage toll workers.

Watch the video:

Comments on video from social media users

Several people commented on the video posted by @gyaigyimii on Twitter and raised concerns about why the toll collection was stopped. Many said the person living there could not be blamed since the toll booth was not in use.

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Read some comments below:

@LampOil10 said:

This is evidential level of suffering most youth are facing in the country… a lots are homeless, jobless and hopeless… meanwhile they[we] pay every tax imposed by the Akufo Addo Bawumia led govt… Sad

@westland_valley commented:

Motor way & everything about it, a symbol to define how nation has managed itself since Nkrumah. No significant project at it's height. The quality of the project hasn't been matched. Poor Maintenance culture. The patch fixes are horrendous just like everything in the country

@AduApeadu wrote:

By now saf agent wey go show dem this side claim monies saf

@Zinfk said:

Meanwhile someone is in charge of this … n taking monthly salary too….tuerrr

@Racha38503Adjei commented:

Who ever is in there really means business it’s the cooking for me

Former tollbooth workers left to their own mercy

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that tollbooth workers shared their stories of their suffering after the government discontinued road tolls in the country.

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At that time, some of the disabled people said they had no other means of income and were yet to receive the compensation promised to them by the government.

Source: YEN.com.gh