In a significant development aimed at bolstering infrastructure funding and advancing sustainable transportation initiatives, the Cabinet has endorsed a framework to facilitate the reintroduction of road tolls in 2025, as confirmed by Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam.
During his address at the mid-year budget review session in Parliament on Tuesday, July 23, Dr. Amin Adam unveiled the approved framework designed to pave the way for the reinstatement of road tolls, marking a deliberate strategy to bolster infrastructure financing in the country.
The decision to revive road tolls comes in the wake of heightened discussions around the need to finance critical road projects and enhance transport infrastructure.
Notably, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), reiterated the importance of road tolls as a sustainable funding mechanism for improving road networks and fostering economic development.
Dr. Bawumia articulated the necessity of diversifying revenue streams for infrastructure investment, emphasizing the pivotal role of public-private partnerships in realizing comprehensive road infrastructure upgrades. He pointed out the inadequacy of existing funding sources and underscored the potential of road tolling as a viable solution to address infrastructure financing gaps.
The government’s decision to reintroduce road tolls in 2025 reflects a strategic shift following the cessation of toll collections in 2021 with the introduction of the e-levy.
The e-levy, conceptualized as an alternative revenue source to replace traditional road tolls, has faced challenges in meeting revenue targets, consequently prompting the reconsideration of road tolls reinstatement as a more effective financing mechanism.
By Vincent Kubi