According to Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister of Finance, the government has abolished all tolls on public roads and bridges. This was read in parliament in the 2022 Budget statement.
Given the excessive vehicular traffic, increased travel time, and inadequate revenue collection at tolling locations on our public roads, this should come as a relief to road vehicle users, according to the minister.
On Wednesday, November 17, 2021, Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta said this during his presentation of the 2022 budget statement and economic policy to Parliament.
Rationale
The Minister explained the rationale behind the scrapping of road tolls, saying that the state’s revenue for road building and maintenance is insufficient and that the government must search for other ways to equally generate cash for road development and maintenance.
“Over the years, the tolling points have led to heavy traffic on our roads and lengthened travel time from one place to another, impacting negatively on time and productivity. The congestion generated at the tolling points, besides creating these inconveniences, also leads to pollution in and around those vicinities” He said.
He continued, “To address these challenges, Government has abolished all tolls on public roads and bridges. This takes effect immediately the Budget is approved. The toll collection personnel will be reassigned. The expected impact on productivity and reduced environmental pollution will more than off-set the revenue forgone by removing the tolls,”
According to the minister, the government is searching for new ways to raise revenue to compensate for the road tolls, such as the proposed 1.7 percent phone transactions charge payable by mobile money users each transaction over GHS 100. He claims that this will assist the government in bolstering revenue inflows to fund road construction around the country.
This is effective as soon as the Budget is approved. Personnel in charge of toll collecting will be reassigned. The predicted increase in production and reduction in pollution will more than compensate for the income lost by eliminating tolls.
2022 BUDGET
