The Chairman of the Ghana Tollbooth Workers Union (GTBU) has revealed that three of his members have died after the cessation of the collection of road tolls.
According to Henry Dogbe, some of the members have died out of frustration upon realising that their source of livelihood had ceased.
The GTBU Chairman made these comments on the back of a Joy Prime feature titled, ‘Tollbooth Tales, highlighting the plight of former tollbooth workers.’
Speaking to Prime Morning’s Roselyn Felli on Joy Prime he said the government’s promise to reassign the workers and continue to pay their monthly salary is yet to be fulfilled.
“Some of them are dead (tollbooth workers). Some of them are thinking of committing suicide. About three are dead. One was frustrated and said if he has nothing to do again, and the job has also been taken away from him…he died,” GTBU Chairman indicated.
Presenting the 2022 budget in Parliament, the Finance Minister announced the cessation of collection of tollbooths across the country.
This he believes will reduce road traffic and air pollution caused at the locations of the tollbooths.
This policy resulted in over eight hundred tollbooth workers losing their jobs.
Mr. Dogbe confirmed receiving a letter from their employer, officially terminating their contract as tollbooth workers.
This move, the disgruntled workers fear, may result in the government not honouring its promise of reassigning them.
They, however, appealed to the President Akufo-Addo-led administration to, as a matter of urgency, get them jobs or restore the tollbooths.