Deputy majority whip assures protesters of government’s commitment to address grievances
Road toll collectors to be retrained and reassigned
Road toll collectors across Ghana came out in their numbers on Tuesday, November 30, 2021, to protest against the cessation of road toll collection which has resulted in a loss of their source of livelihood, Citinewsroom reports.
The protesters lamented that the directive from the Roads and Highways Minister has negatively impacted their lives.
The cessation of road toll collection follows a directive by the Roads Minister, to halt the collection effective November 18, 2021, at 12 am.
The directive followed an announcement made by the Finance Minister during the reading of the 2022 budget on the floor of Parliament, where he noted that the decision was to take effect after Parliament approves the budget.
Government has however said that persons who worked as toll collectors will be retrained and reassigned, adding that none of them would lose their jobs as they would continue to withdraw their salaries.
The Secretary of the Ghana toll workers group, Edward Duncan, presented a petition to Parliament on behalf of the group.
Deputy Majority whip, Habib Iddrisu who received the petition from the general secretary of the affected group assured the protesters of government’s commitment to resolving their grievances.
Background
The Ministry of Roads and Highways directed the discontinuation of the collection of tolls on all public roads and bridges across the country from Thursday, November 18, 2021 at 12 am
The directive followed the announcement by the Finance Ministry to scrap road tolls on all public roads.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin subsequently directed the Roads Minister to reverse that directive insisting it was illegal and must be immediately withdrawn.
He argued that, the budget remains a proposal until parliament approves it hence the cessation of road toll collection with immediate effect before the house sat to debate was a wrong move.
The minister, however, did not heed the speaker’s directive.
