Roads and Highways Minister-designate, Kwame Agbodza, has criticized the Akufo-Addo administration for its decision to abolish road tolls, describing the move as both ill-advised and illegal.
During his vetting by Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Monday, January 20, Agbodza expressed his dismay, arguing that the government ignored advice to reform and improve the toll system rather than scrapping it entirely.
“We cautioned the government not to cancel road tolls but to focus on fixing inefficiencies and plugging revenue leakages,” he stated.
Agbodza emphasized that road tolls were not only an effective means of funding road infrastructure but were also legally mandated. He accused the government of bypassing the necessary legal procedures when eliminating the tolls, calling the decision an “act of illegality.”
Refuting the government’s claim that road tolls generated only ¢80 million annually, Agbodza suggested that the figure was misleading and did not reflect the potential revenue the system could have achieved if properly managed.
The Minister-designate also shed light on the struggles faced by road contractors due to the lack of funds for infrastructure projects. He revealed that some contractors are owed as much as GH¢5,000, leaving many in financial distress.
“The cancellation of road tolls has only worsened the financial challenges in the sector. It’s clear that the government’s approach to funding road development needs to change,” Agbodza said.
To address the issue, Agbodza announced plans to reintroduce road tolls in a revamped form. He assured that the new system would eliminate physical tollbooths and manual toll collection, replacing them with modern technology to ensure efficiency, transparency, and convenience for road users.
This proposed system, he explained, would streamline toll collection, reduce leakages, and provide a sustainable source of funding for Ghana’s road infrastructure. Agbodza expressed confidence that the modernized toll system would meet the needs of both road users and the government.
“It is time we embrace a smarter and more efficient approach that ensures fairness while supporting the development of our road network,” he concluded.
SOURCE: http://dew360.net
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