Accra: The Ministry of Roads and Highways has announced the government's plan to reintroduce tolls on roads and bridges as a means to generate revenue for road maintenance and other related needs. The ministry is currently developing a modern, technology-driven toll collection system, as stated by Mr. Nasir Ahmad Yartey, Head of the Public Relations Unit at the Ministry.

According to Ghana News Agency, the Ministry has pledged to implement a modernized system that will effectively address the current challenges associated with tolling and road maintenance funding in the country. The Ministry emphasized that the process would be conducted through an open, transparent, competitive, cost-effective, and fair procurement process.

Mr. Kwame Governs Agbodza, the Minister for Roads and Highways, expressed his criticism of the previous government's decision to abolish road tolls, labeling it as 'illegal' during his vetting in Parliament. He also highlighted that members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on the Roads and Transport Committee had warned against the policy before its implementation.

In a related development, the former Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr. Francis Asenso-Boakye, revealed in March 2022 that discussions with stakeholders about reinstating road tolls had already begun. He noted that if tolls were reintroduced, they would be digitized and automated to enhance efficiency.

The decision to abolish road and bridge tolls was made in December 2022, with the aim of facilitating movement, boosting productivity, and reducing environmental pollution. Mr. Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, the then Minister of Finance, announced the abolishment while presenting the 2022 budget in Parliament, citing the tolling points as causes of unhealthy market conditions, traffic congestion, extended travel times, and negative impacts on productivity.