The Finance Ministry has come out with some proposed fees and charges motorists are expected to pay as government plans to reintroduce road toll.
The proposal, when approved, would see car owners paying higher than they previously paid.
For instance, persons who use motor bike would pay GH¢0.50 from GH¢0.10; car GH¢1 from GH¢0.50. Also Pick-ups/4×4 vehicles and light buses will now pay GH¢1.50; heavy buses GH¢2; medium goods trucks (3 axles) GH¢3; and agriculture tractor GH¢1.
A letter from the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to the Roads and Highways Minister said, the Finance Ministry “has initiated steps to provide for foundational rates for tolling of roads and highways as part of the amendments of the Act, pending completion of the process to identify the roads and highways to be affected by the reintroduction of the Rod tolls as stated in the Budget.”
The letter dated March 10, 2023 added, “We are by this letter conveying the proposed rates as per the attached Appendix I for input by the Ministry of Roads and Highways to enable this Ministry complete the schedule of fees under the impending Legislative Instrument.”
Payment of toll on public roads ceased in November 2021 as part of policy measures announced by government under the 2022 Budget in anticipation of the introduction of the E-Levy.
But presenting the 2023 budget to Parliament in November last year, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta announced that government will reintroduce the road toll on selected roads in 2023 as one of the revenue measures.
“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.
