Bagbin directs Roads Minister to reverse ban on toll collection
Failure by Minister to withdraw directive will amount to contempt of parliament, says Speaker
A former National Chairman of the Peoples National Convention (PNC), Bernard Mornah, has asked the Minister for Roads to pay back the monies lost after he directed the suspension of road tolls across the country.
According to him, making the minister pay will serve as a deterrent as he had no capacity to make a decision on the suspension of road tolls.
"You can’t do that, we are a country of laws and you are a Member of Parliament, you make the laws," 3news.com quoted him as having said.
“You do know that once the toll Act has been in place, it is only parliament that has the capacity to say don’t collect tolls. For me, the Minister for Roads should be made to pay for the number of days until the budget is approved, how much on the average," he said
“Of course we know how much is collected per a year so you can average it how much is collected per day and let him pay. Next time he won’t do that,", he added.
Background
Ken Ofori Atta whilst presenting the 2022 budget said the government intends to cease the collection of tolls at various public roads and bridges across the country with the objective of easing traffic congestion.
The Roads and Highways Minister, Kwaku Amoako Atta, in a release some few hours after the Finance Minister’s presentation, directed that the collection of tolls on public roads and bridges cease effective 12 am-midnight November 18, 2021.
However, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin directed the Minister for Roads and Highways to reverse a directive that has caused the cessation of road and bridge toll collection across the country.
According to the Speaker, the directive by the Minister emanating from policies contained in the 2022 budget undermines the authority of the house.
But, John Kumah believes that the Road Minister’s order was in line with his duties as he has the power to make a decision within the laws.
Bernard Mornah, former National Chairman of the PNC