Government has been urged to fast track the automation of all tollbooths across the country to prevent revenue losses.
The Member of Parliament for the Dormaa East Constituency, Paul Apraku Twum Barimah, who made the call said Ghana currently operates about 36 road toll collection booths nationwide and generates approximately GH¢1 million daily.
He noted that based on the estimates, the state generates about GH¢30 million a month from road toll alone.
However, he believes that if the road toll collection is automated or digitized, government could generate more revenue and even double the current rate since it will help eliminate all the leakages in the system that enable operators of the toll booths to divert some of the revenue into their pockets.
‘’Government must ensure the automation of all road toll booths and all revenue mobilisation streams to help achieve the set revenue targets ensuring efficiency in toll collection through digitisation and limiting human interface or discretion. It is the surest way to prevent corruption.
“When road tolls are digitized and the leakages are sealed, government would be earning adequate revenue and there would be no need to increase the toll as has been proposed by some economic analysts’’ he stated.
Information from the Ministry of Roads reveals that Ghana is losing a minimum of 40% revenue, from the toll booths.
At the moment, only four out of the 36 toll booths have been automated.
The four are the Ngleshie Amanfrom, Accra Plaza, Tema Plaza and the Amasaman booths.
