Motorbike riders will be required to pay road tolls for the first time as the government reintroduces the payment of road tolls later this year.
This new proposal by the Ministry of Roads and Highways will require motorbike users to pay 10 pesewas on reaching any tollbooth.
It is unclear why motorbikes have now been included in the list of vehicles eligible to pay road tolls, as they were previously exempted from paying tolls.
The payment of road tolls was suspended in 2021 following the reading of the 2022 Budget, and this decision was met with criticism from the public.
However, the government defended the decision, stating that it was meant to stop road congestion and traffic jams at tollbooth areas.
The Finance Ministry has now written a letter to the Roads and Highways Ministry, stating that the government has resolved to reintroduce road tolls through an amendment of the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2022 (Act 080), as it had stated in the 2023 Budget. The letter was dated March 11, 2023, and signed by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
Many motorbike riders are unhappy with the new proposal, as they feel that they are being unfairly targeted. Some argue that motorbikes are less damaging to the road compared to other vehicles, and therefore should be exempted from paying road tolls.
Others have pointed out that the cost of the tolls may discourage people from using motorbikes as a means of transportation, which could have negative implications on traffic congestion and the environment.
Despite the opposition, the government remains firm in its decision to reintroduce road tolls and require motorbike users to pay. It is expected that the tollbooths will be set up later this year, and motorbike users will be required to pay the tolls like any other vehicle.
The government hopes that the reintroduction of road tolls will help raise revenue for the country’s road infrastructure, which has been in dire need of repair and maintenance.