Toll collectors across the country on Tuesday, November 30, 2021, demanded an end of an abrupt directive by the Roads and Highway Minister to halt road toll collection.
Hundreds of them marched to the Parliament to climax a demonstration against the decision of the government to cease the collection of tolls.
In a petition, the agitated workers stated that the decision has rendered them jobless, a situation that is affecting them and their dependents.
To them, the directive by the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta was terrible.
The Minister, Kwesi Amoako-Atta, came under fire for issuing the instruction that the collection of road and bridge tolls at all locations nationwide should be halted effective from 12am on Thursday, November 18, 2021.
His directive was in response to the Finance Minister’s 2022 budget that had proposed an end to the road and bridge toll collection.
Before Parliament could approve the now rejected 2022 budget, Mr Amoako-Atta ordered for the proposal to take effect, a move many have criticised as unconstitutional.
The aggrieved toll collectors want the government to reconsider the decision.
They marched to Parliament and presented a petition to the legislative body.
“They promised to reassign us to other jobs. But we don’t trust them on that. If there were jobs available, they would have given us new jobs. The Minister is a liar and we are disappointed in him, one of the workers said.
Another alleged that they have not been paid over the past four months.
The Secretary of the Ghana toll workers group, Edward Duncan, presented a petition to Parliament on behalf of the group.
The petition was received by the Deputy Majority Chief Whip, Habib Iddrisu, and Deputy Minority Chief Whip Ahmed Ibrahim.
The two leaders said the petition had come at a time parliament was still considering the budget statement.
They assured them their concerns would be addressed.
The leader of the workers, Mr. Ernest Antwi speaking on Nyankonton Mu Nsem said the work of toll workers generated a lot money for the country.
He said Ghana is losing several millions of Ghana cedis.
He said their work generates more than 200,000 Ghana cedis daily and the directive from the Minister has deprived Ghana of some revenue.
