New road tolls generate GH¢680,000 in two weeks
Mr Joe Gidisu, the Minister of Roads, said road tolls has generated 680,000 Ghana cedis within two weeks of new tools coming into effect.
He said daily tolls soared to 96,200 Ghana cedis from 8,100 Ghana cedis countrywide with the toll booth over the Adomi Bridge raking in 2,580 Ghana cedis daily compared to 230 Ghana cedis it generated previously.
Mr Gidisu said this at an outreach programme by the North Tongu Constituency of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Juapong on Sunday.
He said the government would not increase taxes as punitive measures but as a conscious attempt to re-direct such financial mobilizations into constructive ventures like the Ghana Education Trust Fund and the Value Added Tax.
Mr Gidisu said the difference would be the judicious use of such resources to tackle the inadequacies in the road sector.
He said a number of major road networks and bridges are being repackaged for construction.
These are the Tema-Juapong-Asikuma-Ho networks, the Asikuma-Hohoe-Nkwanta-Bimbilla-Nakpanduri-Kulungugu-Bawku stretch and a parallel new bridge over the Volta Lake to connect the Eastern and Volta regions at a designated point.
Mr Gidisu said Juapong town roads, Juapong-Adidome roads, Juapong Volo and Agorve-Flavem-Aklakpa-Kpodoe-Fankadua segments would also receive attention.
He said there were shocking revelations from social auditing of accounts of contracts and that there were some non-existent roads projects which continued to receive funding including the Adidome-Frankadua road.
Mr Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa, a Deputy Minister of Information said a “Better Ghana” agenda would entail sacrifices from all stakeholders and pledged a judicious accountability regime for revenue accruing from such taxes.
He said the government would fix all problems it inherited and pleaded with the masses to exercise restraint.
Mr Okudzeto-Ablakwa said the reduction in inflationary rates from 18 to 14 percent, prime rate of 200 unit points and the falling interest rates are good omen for businesses and investments.
Source: GNA