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Traders at Tema tollbooth accuse gov’t of denying them income

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By Nathaniel Nartey
Traders, Hawkers and Mechanics at the Accra-Tema Motorway Toll Booth have expressed displeasure at the directive to abolish Road Tolls. The traders have accused the government of denying them their source of income.
As of 1400hrs GMT, November 18, 2021, the traders and hawkers said they were yet to make any sales.
This is because selling in traffic at the toll booth is how they get their daily bread hence the cancellation of Road Tolls will affect their livelihood.
Meanwhile Commercial Drivers plying the route appeared content with the directive while Private Vehicle Operators say the move should be reversed.
Our reporter Nathaniel Nartey visited the Accra-Tema Motorway Toll Booth and reports that the usual traffic visible at the Accra-Tema Motorway Toll Booth was almost absent as most drivers drove past the collection point without paying.
Booths at either side of the Motorway were locked up and empty with personnel from the Police Service on hand to enure orderliness.
The few drivers, mostly Commercial Transport Operators who  appeared unaware of  the directive, stopped at the Booth in an attempt to pay Toll, only to be urged on by the Police to move, and they did so mostly with a smile, an indication of their acceptance to the scarapping of Road Tolls.
GBC News was unable to speak to the Commercial Drivers who appeared to in a hurry probably to meet their sales target for the day.
However, the Private Vehicle Owners who interacted with the news team were not in favour of abolishing Road Tolls. With the new directive already in force, they wondered where the government will get funds to construct new roads and maintain existing ones.
The traders and hawkers at the Accra-Tema Motorway Toll  Booth were also against the cancellation of Toll but for different reasons .
According to them, there are no spaces in the markets to accomodate them hence the call for the government to reverse the directive, to ply their trade at the Booths.
GBC News spotted a mechanic at work close to the Toll Booth at the Tema end of the Motorway. He expressed similar concerns about the directive.
For now, the Traders and Hawkers are stationed on the shoulders of the Motorway, looking on as the vehicles drive past them while they count their loses.

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