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The Minority in Parliament has strongly criticized the government’s decision to reintroduce road tolls, describing the move as misguided and reflective of poor governance. This criticism follows an announcement by the Ministry of Roads and Highways that consultations with key stakeholders are underway to finalize the reinstatement of road tolls, intended to fund repairs for the country’s deteriorating road infrastructure.
Speaking to journalists in Accra, Minority Chief Whip Governs Agbodza condemned the government’s decision, asserting that it underscores a lack of seriousness and proper governance. He pointed out the inconsistency in the government’s actions, recalling that the same administration previously suspended the collection of tolls, a decision that was contentious and deemed illegal by some, including the Speaker of Parliament.
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“That is quite an interesting position by the current road minister. In fact, is it not the case that he was part of the cabinet when the decision was taken to suspend the collection of tolls, and when Mr Speaker and all of us drew attention to the fact that, that singular action was illegal, they told Mr Speaker to go to the toll booth to collect the toll himself if he liked? This is just a testament to a government that is wayward, lost touch, and doesn’t know what they want,” Agbodza stated.
He further criticized the suspension of tolls as a propaganda move to justify the introduction of the E-levy, a tax on electronic transactions, that has been unpopular among Ghanaians. According to Agbodza, the government’s reversal on the tolls issue demonstrates its inconsistency and lack of credibility.
“The Cabinet decided to suspend the collection of tolls as propaganda to foist E-levy down the throats of Ghanaians. We are paying e-levy today. They want to take more money from you, so they are coming back to condemn each other to say that they want to collect tolls. Then the entire government is condemned. They cannot pick and choose who is upright in the government,” he added.
Agbodza emphasized that the Minority has consistently opposed the suspension of tolls and now views the government’s decision to reintroduce them as further evidence of its erratic policy decisions. He urged Ghanaians to note which political party can be trusted and is consistent with its policies, casting doubt on the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) credibility and fairness to the populace.
