Ghana Highway Authority Introduces Road Toll Stickers

The Ghana Highway Authority has introduced stickers for residents who live near toll booths in various parts of Accra to reduce the discomfort caused by paying tolls every time they cross the booth. The project, which is being done on a pilot basis, was introduced in January 2012, and has been extended to Kumasi, Cape-Coast and Suyani. Mr Emmanuel Ebow Andorful, Toll Booth Coordinator at the Ghana Highway Authority, told the GNA in an interview that regular users, residents and organizations who patronize the sticker services get a 5 percent discount and can buy stickers for a month, three months or even a year. Mr Andorful said the Authority has received complaints from people especially those who live near toll booths around Dodowa, Ayi-Mensah, Afieyna, all suburbs of Accra, about how much they spend paying road tolls. He said they had also received complaints about pot-holes on the road despite the fact that people pay tolls on daily basis and said the Authority had applied for funds from the Road funds to help maintain such roads. He assured the public especially residents who live near various toll booths that very soon the pot-holes would be filled and the roads would be maintained on a regular basis. Mr Andorful explained that some toll booths in Accra use electronic cards and expressed hope that the Authority will come up with more strategies to cushion those who live around toll booths. A resident of Salem Estates who pleaded anonymity told the GNA that �I pay toll to and from work daily and sometimes if I forget to buy something from town, and I have to go back to buy the item, I then have to pay toll again though I just paid for one.� He also complained about the number of pot-holes on the road and said he felt cheated when he has to pay that much tolls and yet drive on a bad road every day. He appealed to the government to do something about the situation.