Bring back the road tolls; it's a good move — NPP’s Nana Akomea backs Ato Forson 

Nana Akomea [left] and Ato Forson

Nana Akomea, Chief Executive of InterCity State Transport Corporation (STC), has expressed his support for the Mahama administration's plan to reintroduce road tolls.

His remarks come after Finance Minister-designate Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson assured Ghanaians during his parliamentary vetting that road tolls would be reinstated to boost revenue for infrastructure development.

Dr. Forson emphasized government’s commitment to fulfilling campaign promises, stating, “We are not running away from this promise. We are a party that honours its commitments, and if road tolls are a means to raise revenue, we will implement them.”

Speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo morning show, Nana Akomea described the decision to bring back road tolls as a positive step.

He acknowledged that the previous cancellation of tolls under the Akufo-Addo government was well-intentioned but ultimately flawed in its execution.

Why the tolls were scrapped
Under the former government, tolls were abolished following the introduction of the Electronic Levy (E-levy), which was projected to generate over GHS 1 billion in revenue; far surpassing the approximately GHS 80 million collected annually from tolls.

However, the e-levy’s performance fell short of expectations, leading to widespread criticism and calls for the tolls to be reinstated.

“The E-Levy revenues, though better than the tolls, have not been as satisfactory as anticipated,” Nana Akomea explained.

He added that “scrapping the tolls entirely was a misstep, as it eliminated a reliable source of income for the road sector.”

He stressed the importance of ensuring that revenue generated from the tolls is used effectively to improve infrastructure, which would encourage public acceptance.

“When you utilize the tax to do good things, people don’t have any problem paying it. But paying tax without any improvement in your area is what breeds resentment,” he remarked.

To improve efficiency and reduce the burden on road users, Nana Akomea advised the government to adopt electronic toll collection systems instead of manual ones. “Making the toll collection electronic will avoid unnecessary pressure on road users and improve accountability,” he suggested.