Kwesi Amoako-Atta, Minister of Roads and Highways, has stated that when the levy is reinstated in 2023, it will no longer be collected by humans.
According to Mr. Amoako-Atta, road tolls will be collected electronically.
“We are going to build modern expressway which will come with tolling facilities but those tolling facilities will be electronic tolling facility…if it has to come, it will be done electronically,” he said.
He urged road users to be willing to pay more for tolls in order for the government to build enough good roads.
“The whole year, we were getting an average of GH₵78 million depending upon the ground condition, that amount of money cannot even build 10km of road. We were paying the lowest toll in the whole world. Meanwhile, we want excellent and good roads in our country.
“We want good things, we must be prepared to pay for more. We will no longer be paying the 50 pesewas and ₵1.”
In November 2021, the government announced the abolition of road toll collection on all major highways across the country.
A year later, the government has reversed its decision to reintroduce toll collection.
One of the revenue measures included in the 2023 budget presented to Parliament by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is the reintroduction of the road toll.
“The fiscal policy measures to underpin the 2023 Budget for consideration and approval by Parliament include the reintroduction of tolls on selected public roads and highways with a renewed focus on leveraging technology in the collection to address the inefficiencies characterized by the previous toll collection regime,” paragraph 462 of the 2023 Budget statement reads.
Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has stated that they will only offer their full support if the toll revenue is used solely for road maintenance.