By Henrietta Afful
Ghana’s Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta says the government has abolished all tolls on public roads and bridges.
This according to the Finance Minister is to take effect immediately when the Budget is approved.
Mr Ofori-Atta said this when he presented the 2022 Economic Policy and Budget Statement in Parliament, Wednesday, November 17, 2021.
He said successive governments imposed and maintained tolls on some public roads in order to raise funds for road construction and maintenance, however, the tolling points have become unhealthy market centres leading to heavy traffic and lengthened travel time from one place to another, impacting negatively on productivity.
“The congestion generated at the tolling points besides creating these inconveniences, also leads to pollution in and around those vicinities” Mr Ofori-Attah said.
“To address these challenges, the government has abolished all tolls on public roads and bridges” he added.
Mr Ofori-Atta said the expected impact on productivity and reduced environmental pollution will more than off-set the revenue forgone by removing the tolls.
The Finance Minister noted that toll collection personnel will be re-assigned.
