Minister of Roads and Transport, Kweku Amoako Attah, has submitted a document to the cabinet over the increase of road tolls across the country.
The decision by the Ministry is to boost revenue for the government in helping to pay contractors in which various roads across the country will be completed within the shortest possible time.
The sector minister revealed they have sent a memo to the Cabinet for approval to increase road tolls.
“As at now, I have sent a memo to Cabinet asking for an increase in the tolls all aimed at trying to improve revenue base and to improve the cash flow into the road fund so that the road fund board chairman and his board members will cease to sweat.”
“so that our contractors can be paid so that we can finance the road infrastructure that we want to give to our people and our country. Having described the current state of toll booths as “so filthy”, the Minister also said, “we are not getting the expected revenue out of the toll booth.”
“we are losing a minimum of 40 percent [revenue], maximum 80 percent revenue from our toll booths.”
“Instead of the 50 percent slot to the disabled people, only 100 are disabled. And even for this even this 100, I have had a number of complaints… The manager for toll booths should be removed and reassigned immediately,” said the Minister.
Finance Minister Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta said the owe contractors outstanding debt in the region of about GH¢3.4 billion but gave an assurance of the government’s commitment to release the funds to pay the contractors.
In December 2018, the Chamber of Construction Industry, its members said they are still struggling to defray loans they took from banks to execute government projects as interest on such loans increase.
“We should not beg for our own money. But for the sake of where we are. We are pleading. There are assurances so we are pleading. It is affecting us negatively, our people are crying. We don’t have money.” Chairman of the Chamber of Construction Industry, Emmanuel Martey lamented.
