Don’t introduce road tolls if you’re committed to relieving burden of Ghanaians – Afenyo-Markin to Roads Minister

The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has told the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwame Agbodza not to reintroduce road tolls if indeed the Mahama administration is committed to lessening the burden on Ghana.

He expresses the view that reintroducing road toll will further impose hardship on Ghanaians.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday January 21 during the debate on the ministerial nominees, the Effutu lawmaker said “On this issue of road toll, they say they are going to do digitalisation. We were of the opinion that they would lessen the burden on Ghanaians when it comes to levies and taxes because they had committed to it, but now you are going to impose another levy.

“So when they remove the e-levy, they are going to look for the money on road tolls so the value is the same. They claim that they are going to repeal the e-levy law introduce road toll and even charge more. You claim you are committed to relieving the burden you claim is on the ordinary Ghanaian. If indeed, you are committed to the ordinary Ghanaian don’t introduce any road toll. ”

During his vetting on Monday Janury 20, Mr Agbodza announced that road toll would be reintroduced with new technological platforms that make it easy to collect and deal with traffic situations.

“Yes, road toll is coming back but not in the form of bringing obstructions on the road but on a technical or mechanised platform that will make it easier to collect,” he told the committee

He recounted when the Akufo-Addo administration announced the removal of the toll, the then-NDC Minority raised issues against

“There was some level of negligence in the way it was done, road tolls,” he said.

Regarding debt in the road sector, Agbodza further said that if he is approved, he will have discussions with the finance minister on how to deal with the road sector debt.

He told the committee that the current debt in the sector amounts to 130 million Ghana Cedis however the interest that accrued on this amounts to 665 665 million cedis.

This, he said must stop hence his decision to have a discussion with the Minister.

“Whatever solution we have we still owe and we have to pay that is why I say I will meet with the Minister.

“If approved I will sit with the Finance Minister to see how we can deal with, this is money being wasted.
The Adaklu lawmaker further stated that there was a need to review how road contracts are awarded in Ghana.

“We need to sit up and meet with stakeholders, contractors and awarding agencies on the issues. The way we award contracts in problematic,” he said.

Video: Afenyo-Markin accuses Majority of rudeness during vetting

The post Don’t introduce road tolls if you’re committed to relieving burden of Ghanaians – Afenyo-Markin to Roads Minister first appeared on 3News.

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