The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (G.P.R.T.U) has kicked against the hiking of road tolls in the wake of revelations by the Roads and Highways Minister that huge losses are being recorded in the collection of road tolls.
Kwasi Amoako Atta revealed on Wednesday that the road fund has lost between 40 or 80% of the tolls collected due to poor management.
Despite failing to outline measures being put in place to plug the leakages, he went ahead to announce that he tabled a proposal asking for increment of the tolls.
“They should come out and tell where the losses are going, the G.P.R.T.U’s Greater Accra Industrial Relations Officer Abass Ibrahim Moro said, serving notice that the union fight any attempt to increase the tolls.
“In any case drivers, we won’t be very happy within this short time. Because initially when you pay a toll that is for the whole day but now you pay as you use the road,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Highways Authority says it intends to privatise the management of the toll booths in the country.
The authority believes that is the surest way to ensure sufficient generation of revenue to help the financing of road infrastructure.
“We are thinking of engaging the private sector within the next say one month. We shall be entering into that contract with private operator. The terms and conditions of that contract will ensure that we derive maximum revenue from the toll stations,” The Chief Director for the Ghana Highways Authority Ernest Kingsley Arthur stated.
By Emmanuel Amewugah, Daily Mail Gh
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