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He said the government was hit hard by the impact of the pandemic, making it difficult to mobilise revenue to settle arrears owed contractors.
Mr. Amoako-Atta made this known when he went before Parliament’s Appointment’s Committee on Tuesday, February 16, 2021.
He was, however, quick to stress that the government is committed to paying all road contractors that are owed.
READ ALSO: I’ll increase road tolls if approved as Minister – Amoako-Atta vows
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Minister-designate for Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta
“Mr Chairman, I will not sit down here and say that all contractors have been paid on schedule even though the government for the past four years has made efforts to pay our contractors because of the good work they render to the country,” he said, as quoted by Myjoyonline.
“There are also outstanding payments and efforts are being made as and when monies are released to the Ministry. But Mr Chairman, we should not lose sight of the fact of the difficulties we all went through as a government and as a nation due to Covid-19 pandemic.”
The Minister-designate also vowed to increase road tolls once his nomination is approved by Parliament.
This, he said, would help raise funds for the rehabilitation and maintenance of roads across the country.
He noted that increasing road tolls is one of the first things he’ll do when he becomes the Minister for Roads and Highways.
“If I am given the approval, it’s one of the things I am going to do immediately,” he said, as quoted by Citinewsroom.
“There is going to be a proposal to increase the toll rate, and I am going to bring to this house [Parliament] for support.”
Mr. Amoako-Atta further explained that the toll rate in Ghana is one of the lowest across the world.
He said while some drivers in the country pay as low as 50 pesewas as toll, the standard toll rate should be a dollar, which is almost equivalent to GHS6.
“The research that has been done in my ministry suggest that, on the average, toll rate is about a dollar. In Ghana, a dollar is close to GHS 6 but people pay GHS 50p as road toll,” he added.