Road users in Ghana to pay more at toll booths

The Parliamentary Select Committee on Roads and Transport, is proposing an increase in road tolls.

Chairman of the select Committee, Theophilus Tetteh Chai said this is to ensure that adequate resources are mobilised for maintenance of roads.

Speaking to Accra-based Citi FM, Mr, Tetteh Chai said "If you compare what we charge here per road tolls to other African countries, it is woefully inadequate. But maintaining our road networks have a lot of benefits for all of us. It increases accesibility, reduce time for doing business, accidents. If you quantify these benefits, and then the lack of it, you realise that it is better we pay the right levies so that we have our roads maintained".

In a memo addressed to parliamentary select committee on transport, the Ghana Road Fund says it faces collapse if serious and immediate steps are not taken

The Fund owes contractors more than GH¢700million. The Fund has also procured two loans from SSNIT – GH¢109million and an additional GH¢85million which have accrued an interest of GH¢323million.

Speaking on the issue, Mr. Tetteh Chai said part of the Annual Budget Funding Amount should be given to the road fund "so that our maintenance needs can be catered for."

"There is the urgent need to introduce the E-ticketing to reduce pilfering at the tollbooths within those areas," Mr. Tetteh Chai added.