Road tolls take off February 1

26-01-10
Page 3

THE Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Joe Gidisu, has explained that the increases in road and bridge tolls introduced by the government are intended to mobilise more resources for the construction and maintenance of roads.
However, commercial drivers have raised concern over the rate of increment, saying the measure was detrimental to their operations.
The new tolls, which will take effect from February 1, 2010, followed an approval by Parliament of new road and bridge tolls under the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, Act 793, which has been signed into law by the President.
According to an advertisement placed in the media, motorbikes which previously were exempted from the payment of tolls are to pay 10Gp; saloon cars which used to pay 5Gp are now to pay 50Gp, while pick-ups and light buses will pay GH¢1, from the 8Gp they used to pay.
The others are mummy wagons, GH¢1; heavy buses and light goods truck (two axles), GH¢1.50; medium goods truck (three axles), GH¢2; heavy goods truck (four axles), GH¢2; heavy goods truck (five or more axles) GH¢2.50; agricultural tractor, 50Gp and agricultural tractor with trailer, 50Gp.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Gidisu said the cost of maintaining roads in the country had gone up astronomically, hence the need for the increment.
He, therefore, appealed to drivers to accept the new rates, since it was with good intentions that they were being introduced, adding that road tolls had remained the same for the past 11 years, although the cost of road maintenance over the period had gone up.
“The tolls are for the general maintenance of road networks throughout the country,” he said.
In separate interviews with the Daily Graphic, however, drivers and GPRTU officials said the increment was too much and needed to be reviewed.
The CMB-Kasoa GPRTU Chairman, Mr J.Q. Otoo, said the increment would go a long way to compound the problems of drivers.
A driver, Tahiru Moro, said currently drivers were paying 8Gp at the Kasoa toll booth and that increasing the toll to GH¢1 was too astronomical.
“It means that when you go on six trips you have to pay GH¢6. Sometimes when we go we come back with empty vehicles,” he stated, and suggested that “it will be okay if the toll is paid once a day”.
The Secretary of the Circle-Nkawkaw PROTOA Branch, Mr Gilbert Oppong, said the increase should have been done in consultation with the executives of drivers’ unions so that the impression was not created that the new rates were being imposed on drivers.
He said although he would ask his drivers to pay the new rates, the local branch would make a representation to the national executives for a review.
Mr Daniel Kwasi Yeboah, the Chairman of the Circle-Nkawkaw PROTOA branch, who shared the sentiments of his colleague, stressed the need for proper education before the implementation of the new rates, since drivers did not understand the rationale behind the increase.
Mr Benjamin Donkor and Kweku Owusu, both saloon car drivers who operate from the Kwame Nkrumah Circle to Tema, said the increase was just too much.
They said with lorry fares remaining the same and fuel prices going up in recent months, their plight would be worsened with the new toll rates.
“Apart from the tolls we pay, we make other petty payments at the lorry park,” Mr Owusu said.
Messrs Stephen Baah and Kweku Solomon, both drivers at the Circle-Ashaiman Station, said there was no need for the increase, since lorry fares had remained the same, in spite of increases in fuel prices.