Regional News of Sunday, 21 November 2021
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2021-11-21Aboaso traders fight government over decision to close down toll booths
play videoA trader speaking to GhanaWeb
Correspondence from Ashanti region
Traders along the Aboaso toll booth have expressed disappointment in the government for its decision to scrap toll booths on roads.
These roadside sellers who take advantage of the traffic jams at toll sites to sell to passengers and other vehicle users said the abrupt decision by the roads minister to stop the collection
Read full articleof tolls on roads came as a shock to them.
They said even though the finance minister mentioned it in the 2022 budget, the time was not due for the cessation.
The traders described Amoako-Atta's decision as unfortunate.
"The finance minister even said they're going to implement the scrapping of the toll booths after parliament approves the budget. We wonder why the roads minister rushed with such a decision," One of the interviewees said.
"Do they want us to go and do prostitution or do they want to see more armed robbers in the system. They should do something better for us, else they will experience the real bitterness of what they sow. Drivers who used to slow down for passengers to buy our items now move at top speed whenever they reach here," Another cried out.
"How do they even want us to make ends meet? This is the only area where we can sell to make a living and now that they have abolished toll booths, how can we survive?" Another worried young lady lamented.
According to the disappointed toll booth traders, this NPP government has failed them and dashed their hopes.
"We're not going to vote again. We all voted for this NPP government with the hope that things were going to turn around in our favour, not knowing we were putting ourselves into hell,". An angry interviewee told GhanaWeb.
They have therefore appealed to the government to immediately provide alternative for them as they believe the decision to scrap toll booths was indirectly going to make them jobless.
Meanwhile, drivers who usually pay toll fee speaking to GhanaWeb said they were very happy with the government's decision.
According to them, scrapping of the toll booths from our major roads was something they had always wished and they see it as a dream come true.
"We were not getting any benefit from the toll fee we used to pay. Our roads were always in bad states despite the huge amounts we used to pay as toll fee," a driver told GhanaWeb.
"My biggest worry was the traffic jam we had to endure on toll lines before we could move our cars to expected destinations. For me, I think scrapping the toll booth is a best decision. But my brother, my biggest worry is on the fuel price that was still not reduced," another stated.
Most of these drivers however expressed worry over the government's decision to maintain the increased fuel prices.
According to them, the finance minister was expected to reduce the high fuel prices that has become a burden to many Ghanaians but stayed mute on that.
