The Roads Minister, Kwasi Amoako-Attah, has said motorists should brace themselves to pay higher road tolls in 2023.
According to him, the amount previously paid as road toll was not enough to construct enough good roads.
Therefore, there will be an increment in the amount paid as road tolls to obtain more funds to construct good roads in the country.
“We were paying the lowest toll in the whole world while we wanted excellent and good roads. If we want good roads then we must be prepared to pay more. We will no longer be paying the fifty pesewas and one cedi. Tolls are even more expensive abroad,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Amoako-Attah has stated that the road toll payment will be via electronic means.
“We are going to build a 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 further explained that “road tolls have not been cancelled or abolished since the law to collect tolls is still there.”
Payment of tolls on public roads ceased in November 2021 as part of the policy measures announced by the government under the 2022 Budget.
However, the government has reintroduced it as one of the revenue measures in the 2023 budget presented to Parliament by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
“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.
