The Volta Regional branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), has welcomed and endorsed the proposal to reintroduce road tolls by the new Mahama-led government.
Road tolls, according to the GPRTU, provided a significant source of revenue for government to fund road maintenance, construction, and improvement of road projects.
Mr Awilo Attito, the Volta Regional Public Relation Officer (PRO) for GPRTU, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, expressed the Association’s readiness for the reintroduction of the road tolls, which would serve as source of employment and income for others.
“It has come to our notice that the government through the Roads and Highways ministry has intended to reintroduce road tolls, we welcome the idea, but the revenue generated from the tolls must be use well to maintain and repair roads for the safety of users,” he said.
He explained that the road tolls previously helped in managing traffic flow by discouraging unnecessary trips and reducing congestion on busy roads which help in unnecessary accidents and loss of lives.
He urged the government to also use the revenues that would be generated from the road tolls to fund for safety initiatives such as installing speed cameras at vantage points, improving road lighting, and enhancing emergency response services for the benefit of the public.
“Government must make sure that revenues generated from road tolls should be properly used to provide funding for new infrastructure projects, such as new roads, bridges, tunnels, among others. They should be ready to render an account annually.”
Again, he said the Union would hold thorough engagement with the Ministry of Roads and Highways for proper education and support for all drivers’ Unions and other road users before the directives were enforced.
He appealed to all drivers to embrace the ideas of the reintroduction of road tolls by the government and adhere to all road regulations in order to avoid any punishment from the authorities.
In furtherance, he charged the government to always engage the driver unions about any fuel price adjustment which would also enable drivers on proper fare adjustment for a successful business.
Mr Attito also used the opportunity and urged drivers to always maintain high level of professionalism, especially during and after the upcoming Valentine Day celebration.
Other drivers at Keta GNA spoke with also expressed satisfaction about the intended reintroduction of the road tolls and appealed to the government to use the revenues that would be generated to fix bad road and address other pressing important issues to benefit the public.
—GNA
