Affected toll booth workers to be paid from the road fund – Opoku Prempeh

The Minister of Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh has said affected workers of the road toll directive will be paid by the government until they are reassigned.

Speaking on TV3 NewDay on Thursday, November 18, monitored by GhanaPlus.com, he said at least some 600 workers serving the 38 toll booth across the country have been affected.

“Already there about 600 people who have been affected within 38 told booth.  The Minister has already given a way out how he is going to absorb them and pay them out of the road fund,” Dr Opoku Prempeh said.

Dr Opoku Prempeh said the Minister of transport will soon provide detail or the reassignment.

Gov’t of Ghana abolishes road tolls

The government of Ghana, on Wednesday, November 17, through the Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta announced it has abolish road tolls on all public roads and bridges in the country.

The decision was to help mitigate the impact of heavy vehicular traffic recorded at the various toll points and it accompanying challenges.

Presenting the 2020 Budget Statement in Parliament, Mr Ofori-Atta said workers of the various toll booths will be reassigned.

“It is true that more roads have been fixed and are being fixed over the last five years than any relative period in the entire history of our nation. We even want to do a lot more and this budget will cater for this,” Mr Ken Ofori Atta said.

“That is why for decades, Government after Government imposed and maintained tolls on some public roads to raise funds for road construction and maintenance. This is the situation in many countries. However, over the years, the tolling points have become
unhealthy market centres, led to heavy traffic on our roads, lengthened travel time from one place to another, and impacted negatively on productivity,” he added .

“The congestion generated at the tolling points, besides creating these inconveniences, also leads to pollution in and around those vicinities.

“To address these challenges, Government has abolished all tolls on public roads and bridges. This takes effect immediately the Budget is approved (after appropriation or now?). The toll collection personnel will be reassigned. The expected impact on productivity and reduced environmental pollution will more than off-set the revenue forgone by removing the tolls,” Mr Ken Ofori Atta said.

Source: GhanaPlus.com