Francis Asenso Boakye, the former Minister for Roads and Highways has stated the foundation for a digital road toll was conceived and launched under the NPP government.
He refuted claims that Mahama’s administration planned to reintroduce road tolls via a digital system as a novel initiative.
According to him, the Digital road toll was an Akufo-Addo government initiative.
Asenso Boakye’s comment comes following President John Dramani Mahama’s hinting that road tolls upon return could be charged directly from mobile money wallets or bank accounts.
Speaking at the 9th Ghana CEO Summit and Awards Expo Mahama addressed the reintroduction of road tolls, stating that drivers will no longer have to sit in traffic to make payments.
Instead, vehicles will be linked to their owners’ Ghana Cards, allowing the government to track them and collect tolls via mobile money or bank transactions.
He further assured that the toll will be minimal, with drivers expected to pay just 1 cedi.
John Mahama stated, “Every car is linked to the owner’s Ghana Card, so we don’t need the old toll booths anymore.
If you cross the East Legon bridge, we simply take a picture of your car, and the system will automatically send the toll charge to your mobile money or bank account. You’ll just pay 1 cedi”, he added.
Reacting to the comments made by John Mahama, Asenso Boakye took to Facebook on Tuesday, May 27 and stated, “Yesterday, President John Mahama announced plans to reintroduce road tolls through a digital system; and it was portrayed as a new, forward-thinking initiative aligned with Ghana’s digital transformation.
While we acknowledge his recognition of the importance of digitizing the economy, a process championed by the NPP administration, it is essential to set the record straight.
The fact remains that the groundwork for a digital road tolling system was laid by the NPP government well before President Mahama’ assumed office in January this year”.
He further added, “In response, the NPP government, building on the solid digital infrastructure (Ghana Card and Digital Address System) it had put in place, pursued a modern, technology-driven solution. In 2024, Cabinet granted approval for the reintroduction of road tolls through a digital collection system, following a formal request by the then Minister for Roads and Highways. This policy shift was publicly confirmed in the 2024 Mid-Year Budget Review by the Minister for Finance.
Let the record reflect this clearly: the digitization of road toll collection was conceived, structured, and set in motion by the NPP government. What is needed now is continuity—not revisionist claims or political repackaging”, Asenso Boakye wrote.
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