Former Minister for Roads and Highways, Francis Asenso Boakye, has disagreed with claims that President John Mahama’s plan to reintroduce road tolls via a digital system is an innovative initiative. He asserts that the foundation for such a system was laid by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
At the 9th Ghana CEO Summit and Awards Expo on May 26, President Mahama announced plans to reintroduce road tolls in a modernized, cashless format, eliminating physical toll booths. The system aims to leverage digital tools, including linking vehicle ownership data to the Ghana Card, enabling automatic billing and mobile money payments.
While the Mahama administration presents this initiative as part of its broader digital transformation agenda, Mr. Asenso Boakye clarified his position on the matter in a Facebook post on May 27.
He stated that during his tenure as Roads Minister, the NPP government had already developed a comprehensive strategy for the digitalization of toll collection before Mahama took office in January 2025.
“In 2021, the NPP administration made the bold decision to suspend manual toll collection,” he wrote.
“That decision was based on four critical issues: low revenue yield, severe congestion, high vehicle operating costs, and revenue leakages.”
He added that the Cabinet had approved the reintroduction of road tolls via a digital platform, planned for implementation in 2024. The Ministry of Roads and Highways intended to adopt a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model under Act 1039.
An indigenous Ghanaian company was selected as the concessionaire after a competitive process and feasibility studies. A Concessions Agreement was drafted and submitted to Parliament but was not passed before the end of the legislative term.
Mr. Asenso Boakye lamented that the previous administration abandoned this process.
“While every administration has the right to adopt its preferred procurement strategy, it is misleading to portray the digital toll initiative as a fresh idea,” he stated.
“The digitisation of toll collection was conceived, structured, and launched under the NPP government.”
He urged the Mahama administration to prioritize policy continuity and avoid what he described as “political repackaging” of prior initiatives.
“Ghanaians deserve leadership that builds on progress, not one that repurposes the work of others as their own,” he added.
