Factor road tolls in roadworthy renewal — Engineering expert

The President of the Institution of Engineering Technology (IET-GH), Henry Kwadwo Boateng, has suggested the payment of road tolls be factored into the renewal of roadworthy certificates.

He said there was no need for the introduction of tollbooths, which disadvantaged some persons, but rather, a system that ensured equity for all vehicle owners to pay on the renewal of their roadworthy certificates should be implemented.

"This means we have to scrap all the tollbooths and reintroduce a system whereby they can pay during their renewal of road worthy," Mr Boateng told the Daily Graphic yesterday.

Re-evaluate

Mr Boateng, therefore, called on the government to re-evaluate the system of road toll collection following its decision to reintroduce it.

During his vetting, the Minister of Finance designate, Cassiel Ato Forson, told the Vetting Committee that the new government would reintroduce road tolls in line with the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) 2024 manifesto.

He said the government was committed to reintroducing the road tolls the previous government had removed.

“The previous government indeed removed the road toll but getting to the end, they signalled that the road toll is coming back. They submitted it to Parliament but it was not laid despite a concession agreement with a company to reintroduce it.

“The NDC indicated from day one that the road toll would come back. We are not running away from it, so I want to assure you that we are a party that sticks to our promises,” he said, among other things.

The IET-GH President emphasised that the government should rather implement a more inclusive and equitable system that would ensure fairness for all road users while addressing the challenges associated with traditional tollbooths.

Toll system

Mr Boateng argued that the current tollbooth system disproportionately affected some commuters, particularly those travelling daily between Kasoa and Accra, who often endured long traffic jams, especially during rainy conditions.

Meanwhile, residents in affluent areas of Accra, such as Cantonments, East Legon, Airport Residential, Kumasi, and other cities who frequently use well-maintained asphalt roads, are not subjected to any toll charges.

To address the disparity, Mr Boateng proposed the removal of tollbooths and the introduction of a more efficient system.

He recommended setting up desks at Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) offices, managed by physically challenged individuals, to collect road toll fees as part of the vehicle roadworthiness renewal process and put the money into a designated account for road maintenance.

Under this system, smaller vehicles would pay a daily toll fee of 50 pesewas, calculated annually, while bus and heavy truck vehicles would pay higher fees. Foreign trucks entering the country could also be charged at designated border desks based on the number of days they operate within Ghana.

Percentage 

Mr Boateng further suggested that a percentage of the revenue generated from road tolls be allocated to metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies (MMDAs) to support road improvement projects (DRIP) and ensure roads remained motorable across the country.

Eliminating tollbooths, he emphasised, would reduce the persistent traffic congestion at toll collection points, minimise road degradation in those areas and improve the overall road user experience.

He believed such a move would not only address long-standing challenges but also enhance road infrastructure development and maintenance.