Ministers Must Pay Tolls – Amoako-Atta

Mr Kwesi Amoako-Atta, the Ministry of Roads and Highways has asked all toll booth operators across the country to ensure that every vehicle user, except those exempted from paying tolls by law, pay the right toll levy including ministers of state.

According to him, there are only a few categories of organizations which are by law exempted from paying tolls, such as Fire Service, Ambulance Service, Police, Security Agencies and the diplomatic corps.

He added that apart from these all other categories of organizations and individuals are supposed to pay the appropriate toll when they get to the toll booth.

According to him, he’s received several reports that some government officials and other high ranking individuals because of the positions they occupy refuse to pay road tolls whenever it is demanded of them, a situation he said will no longer be countenanced.

Speaking at a ceremony to inaugurate the new toll booth at Badukrom in the Shama District of the Western Region on Thursday, 7 February 2019, Mr Amoako-Atta noted that the nation loses revenue if people are not made to pay the levy.

“The toll booth operators should make sure that every vehicle pays the tolls”, the minister said, adding: “There are some particular organisations that are exempted by law, from paying tolls. These are Fire Service, the Ambulance Service, the Police, the Military and the security agencies and the diplomatic corps.

“Apart from these, all other categories of groups and individuals are supposed to pay the appropriate toll when they get to the toll booth. We have also observed that some people pass through the toll booth without paying the appropriate tolls.

“All the toll booth operators have been instructed by my ministry that apart from the above-mentioned categories of people and organisations, every single individual, no matter who you are in Ghana, you are supposed to pay the appropriate toll when you get to the toll booths anywhere in our country.

“If you are a managing director or you are a minister, you have to pay. Anywhere I go, I pay my toll, you can ask my driver.” – he said.