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Finance Minister-designate Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has disclosed that the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration is committed to reintroducing toll collection on various roads nationwide.
It will be recalled that the Akufo-Addo-led government, as part of the 2022 budget, announced the decision to abolish road tolls, replacing them with the controversial electronic transfer levy, which sparked backlash from sections of the public, including the NDC caucus in Parliament.
Responding to questions during his vetting on Monday, 13th January, Dr Forson reaffirmed the government’s commitment to its position on the matter as part of revenue mobilisation efforts.
The NDC indicated from day one that a road toll will come back. We are not running away from it. In fact, the Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, at the time the Minority Leader, said that the NDC promises to bring back the road toll. We have not run away from that fact.
So I can assure you we are a party that sticks to our promises. And whatever we have promised to do, we'll do just that. If the road toll is a way to raise revenue, we'll raise the revenue and the road toll.
He emphasised:
If you use the road, you have to pay a toll. And it's all over the world. Ghana won't be the first country, won't be the last one.
You have to contribute towards road maintenance. And so, the only thing is we have to collect the revenue effectively and efficiently so that we can plough it towards the maintenance of those roads.
The Finance Minister-designate also reiterated that the ruling administration, led by President John Mahama, will fulfil its campaign promises of abolishing nuisance taxes, including the 10% betting tax and the E-Levy, within the first 120 days of its tenure.