Speaker Directs Roads Minister To Reverse Suspension Of Road Tolls Collection Or Faces Contempt

Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin has directed the Roads and Highways Minister Amoako Atta to immediately withdraw decision to suspend the collection of road tolls or face contempt of Parliament charges.

The latest order by the the Speaker follows a statement by Minority Leader, Haruna Idrissu who contended that once the house has not approved the budget statement as delivered by Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta last Wednesday the Roads and Highways Minister has no authority to suspend the collection of road toll. Finance Minister during the delivering of the 2022 budget statement last Wednesday announced the suspension of road tolls across Ghana. It’s important to anchor the point that such executive decision requires parliamentary approval before implementation.

It’s against this background that, the directive to suspend road toll overnight has received a backlash and growing agitations from the public including workers.

Raising the matter on the floor of Parliament today Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu drew the Speaker’s attention to call Roads and Highways Minister, Kwesi Amoako Atta to order.

But, Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu argued the Minister acted in good faith because they pickes up intelligence of pending chaotic occurrences and scenes at various toll booths upon the announcement by Ken Ofori-Atta.

However, the Speaker who was of the view that the budget statement presented is in respect of 2022 must be approved by the Parliament to give green light for implementation and that the Minister erred.

He directed the Roads and Highways Minister to immediately withdraw, reverse his decision or face contempt of parliament charges.

Story by: Jerry Akornor