Fiapre, (B/R), Nov. 18, GNA – Collectors at the Fiapre Toll Booth on the Sunyani-Berekum highway have complied with the nationwide shutdown of all toll booths, as directed by the Ministry of Roads and Highways.
When the Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited the toll booth around 1000 hours on Thursday, the toll collectors had not reported on duty, however, two armed police officers were sighted at the post.
The GNA was however at the booth to assess the situation on the ground, following the abolishment of tolls on roads and bridges in the country.
Finance Minister Kenneth Ofori-Atta, announced the abolishment of tolls on roads and bridges in the 2022 budget he presented to Parliament on Wednesday, November 18.
Subsequently, the Ministry of Roads and Highways, in a press release signed by Kwasi Amoako-Attah, the sector Minister ordered the stopping of the collection of road tolls in the country, effective November 19.
Speaking in an interview with the GNA, commercial drivers plying the Sunyani-Berekum highway commended the government for abolishing the road tolls, a move they said had brought economic relief to them.
They, however, complained about the hikes in petroleum products, saying they expected a downward adjustment in prices of petrol in the budget statement.
Emmanuel Kofi Agyemang, a taxi driver told the GNA the GHC1 toll discouraged many of his colleagues from plying the road saying “you pay the GHC1 whenever you pass the toll booth. Some days you can pay as much as GHC10 and GHC15 as long as you ply that particular highway”.
Some of the commercial drivers, however, told the GNA they were unaware of the Ministry’s directive to stop the collection of the tolls, though they were aware of its abolishment.
“I was prepared to pay the toll until I reached here to realise collectors are not at the post. This is a great relief and the government must be commended in that regard”, Mustapha Seidu, a driver indicated.
The GNA learnt the situation was not different at the Bechem toll booth, as collectors did not report on duty.
GNA