Implement electronic tollbooths to reduce highway pollution - Economist to Government

The Director of Quality Assurance at Methodist University College Ghana, Mr. Charles  Opoku, wants the government to implement electronic tollbooths on public roads across the length and breadth of Ghana to reduce highway pollution, congestion at the tollbooths, and loss of revenue through pilfering.

In response to Finance minister - Ken Ofori Atta's statement, that the new roads to be constructed by the government in partnership with investors will be tolled on the floor of Parliament during the presentation of the mid-year budget, Mr. Charles Opoku said it was a laudable idea by the government to reintroduce the road toll. To him, Japan used road tolling to build their roads, and therefore it is worth emulating. There is no need to reinvent the wheel.

According to the finance minister, the decision to abolish tollbooths was taken as a result of heavy traffic, sprawling markets, and pollution around the tollbooths.

Meanwhile, the Director of Quality Assurance, Mr. Charles Opoku, responded, and said that the policy to implement electronic toll collection will help alleviate traffic congestion as compared to manual toll collection and will also reduce air pollution and improve public health.

He, therefore, urged the government to come out with a clear policy to implement electronic tollbooths to help alleviate traffic congestion and to also reduce air pollution.