Adu-Boahen proposes ‘realistic’ road tolls to address Ghana’s road challenges

The Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Charles Adu-Boahen is making a case for regular adjustment of road tolls in the country to attract private investment.

He said the current tolls being charged are unrealistic, making it unattractive for private people who wish to invest in the sector.

He indicated that getting private sector investment in road construction will help ease the pressure on the government over the construction and rehabilitation of roads across the country.

“In almost any country you go to, roads do not become just a remit of the government. You see a lot of commercial investors going into road construction because they can toll these roads and get an economic return. What we have to do is to look at the fees and charges when it comes to road tolls and make sure that they are realistic,” Mr. Adu-Boahen said on the Citi Breakfast Show.

This will not be the first time a top government official has hinted of a review of road tolls in the country.

During his vetting in February, the Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah proposed an upward review of Ghana's road toll rate to finance major roads in the country making a similar argument that increasing the toll will attract private investors to take up the construction of roads and make more roads in the country motorable.

The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu during the presentation of the 2021 Budget Statement also hinted at an upward review of the current road toll.

“Mr Speaker, to maintain the improvements on our roads, government will review existing road tolls and align them with current market rates,” he stated.

The last time road tolls were increased in Ghana was in 2009 under former president John Evans Atta Mills.

“Twelve years ago today and it is still [50 pesewas and] one cedi. If you have this situation where there is no automatic adjustment for inflation in tolls, there is no way you are going to attract private sector investor to come in,” he said.

“Until we amend the fees and tolls such that every year it is adjusted automatically by inflation, we will not be able to attract into the sector the type of investment that is required to support government,” he added.

The demand for roads is one that successive governments in Ghana are inundated with. Despite the substantial investments by governments in the road sector, it has not been enough to show a significant improvement in the country's overall network of roads.

---citinewsroom