Nhyiaeso Member of Parliament (MP), Stephen Amoah aka Sticka, has appealed to the government to re-introduce road tolls.
Sticka believes the reintroduction will help the government mobilise enough revenue to cushion the nation amid the prevailing economic hardship.
He made the proposal on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen and described the tolls as one of the easiest and most convenient taxes for Ghanaians.
“I think the government must re-introduce the road toll because it is one of the taxes people pay and don’t feel it. So I believe it must be brought back,” he appealed.
The lawmaker explained if the government buys into his proposal, it will be a step in the right direction to reduce fuel taxes.
“If we re-introduce the toll, then we decrease the fuel taxes. By this, we would calculate the impact of both and since the fuel taxes have a broad base, part of it can be a top-up as the road toll. Considering where we are going and what were are going through, we need to lessen the cost for Ghanaians,” he appealed.
On November 17, 2021, government announced that motorists who ply tolled roads across the country will no longer be required to pay tolls.
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, made the announcement while reading the 2022 budget to Parliament.
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Mr Ofori-Atta assured the tollbooth workers would be retrained and reassigned, adding none of them would lose their jobs, as they would continue to draw their salaries.
This was received as good news for motorists who spend a lot of time in traffic just to pay the GH¢1 toll levy but not for the workers and traders who hawk their wares around these points.
Scores of toll workers following a directive embarked on a protest stating they are languishing in abject poverty.
They indicated they are yet to receive their salaries or hear from the government with regards to their redeployment, making it difficult to make ends meet.