The Minister of State-designate at the Ministry of Finance Abena Osei-Asare has stated the government will not reintroduce road tolls.
According to her, the directive to abolish road tolls in November 2021 was a “political decision”.
On December 15, 2023, the former Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah during the consideration of the 2024 budget statement and economic policy in Parliament announced the tolls are likely to be reintroduced in 2024.
However, Madam Osei-Asare who doubles as Atiwa East Member of Parliament (MP) speaking before the Parliamentary Vetting Committee on Wednesday, March 13 said otherwise.
She noted that the document outlining the government’s vision for 2024 does not contain any reference to the reintroduction of road tolls.
“Mr Chairman, suspension of the road tolls was a political decision. It was a decision taken by the government and I cannot take myself out of it because I am part of the government and must take responsibility as such.
“The document that spells out the vision for the government in 2024 is the budget. So we are working with the budget and in the budget for 2024, I don’t think we introduced any line item for road tolls and so it remains as such,” she said.
This comes a few days after Roads Minister, Francis Asenso-Boakye advocated for the reintroduction of the tolls.
He stated the reintroduction will help to mobilise adequate revenue to bridge infrastructural deficit as most developed countries finance their roads using money from tolls.
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