Features
Making road tolls more productive and cost-effective in Ghana
All over the world, road tolls are collected to provide a sustainable source of revenue for on-going road maintenance and improvement. Tolling is an innovative and cost-effective approach to addressing national transportation infrastructure challenges while providing a safe and reliable option for the travelling public to reach their destination.
Countries such as Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Switzerland among others, have widely adopted road tolling through various means. Even in the United States of America (USA), more than 4,000 kilometres of the interstate highway system are tolled.
IMPORTANCE AND RELEVANCE OF TOLL BOOTHS
This, therefore, shows how relevant and important road tolls play in the development of a nation because in some jurisdiction, road tolls allow new roads to be built and maintained without raising taxes on the general public.
The amount of tolls, usually varies by vehicle type, weight or number of axles, with freight trucks often charged higher rates than saloon cars. In most advanced countries, some collection points are automated and the user deposits money in a machine which opens the gate once the correct toll has been paid. In order to cut cost and minimise time delay, many tolls are collected with electronic collection equipment which automatically communicates with a toll payer’s transponder or uses automatic number plate recognition to charge drivers by debiting their accounts.
EXEMPTIONS FROM PAYMENT OF TOLLS
Over here in Ghana, the Road Fund Act, Act 536, exempts vehicles bearing official identification marks of institutions such as the Armed Forces, Police, Fire Service, Prisons, Diplomatic Missions on reciprocal basis, government and mission hospitals and the Ghana Red Cross Society, from paying road tolls.
It is estimated that Ghana has about 35 toll booths nationwide and collects approximately GH¢1million daily. These toll booths are mandated to collect tolls from vehicles including motorbikes with the exception of the security services and other exempted vehicles. Four of these toll booths namely, Accra Plaza, Tema Plaza, NgleshieAmanfro and Amasaman have been automated as of 2019. Charges by these toll booths range from saloon to other heavy duty vehicles but that of saloon car attracts a fee of 50 pesewas.
CONTROVERSY OVER THE PAYMENT OF ROAD TOLLS
In recent times, payments of these road tolls in the country, have been characterised with misunderstandings by motorists, especially commercial road transport operators who are crying foul about the manner in which money accrued from these tolls is disbursed by the government and also its intention to increase the current rate.
According to the drivers, years of the collection of road tolls in the country had not reflected in the routine maintenance of roads. They claim that today, there are more potholes on the roads than before and have become deathtraps. The question they are now asking is, “What has the government been using the road tolls for?”
To them, The Road Fund from all intent and purposes, was set up to receive money generated from the road tolls for the routine maintenance of our roads. But government, instead of using the money, rather mortgaged the Road Fund and raised money for other things in the road sector instead of maintaining the roads.
PAYMENT OF NEW ROAD TOLLS
The drivers have picked up information that Parliament has already approved the new road tolls and they have, therefore, registered their strong protest that they were not consulted for their input on the computation of the new tolls and that is not fair to them.
The drivers were of the view that if the sector minister, Mr. Kwasi Amoako-Atta had consistently made it clear that there were leakages in the collection of the road tolls, then increasing of road tolls was not a prudent measure to seal the leakages. The best option is for the minister to devise scientific or digital ways of blocking the leakages in order to maximise the money generated from the tolls.
“We have also picked up intelligence that there are plans to add the tolls to the prices of fuel at the pumps in order to do away with the toll booths. This also, we vehemently reject it. The commercial road transport operation is already reeling under serious high fuel price increases coupled with daily increases in spare parts. As a result, any additional tax or increase in road toll will collapse our businesses,” they stated.
ARGUMENT BY COMMERCIAL DRIVERS
Indeed, the argument being put forward by these commercial drivers is genuine and meritorious and, therefore, must be given serious attention by the government. How can you increase road tolls when you have alluded to loophole regarding the collection process? You need to plug these loopholes first to ensure that money due the Road Fund is collected before embarking on any further decision to amend the current rate.
We are told that out of 35 toll booths nationwide, only four have been automated since 2019. That is preposterous and unacceptable in a country such as Ghana. We need to find out why it is difficult to automate the rest of the toll booths. These manual processes of handling these toll booths have resulted in huge sums of money going down the drain daily. Besides, human cannot be well trusted and, therefore, personal handling of money from these toll booths can encourage corruption since there will be lack of transparency and accountability. We need to take a second look at road tolling mechanism in our country because it is another surest way of generating enough revenue to improve and maintain our road infrastructure to safeguard lives and property.
ELECTRONIC TOLL BOOTHS
Considering various electronic toll booths system that have been deployed in many parts of the world and the innumerable advantages they bring to such countries, it is safe to say that this project will address the challenges faced in developing countries in relation to toll collection. This electronic means of toll collection will also ease congestion at various toll booths where vehicles have to queue for manual payment before they can be allowed to cross the barrier.
It is regretful to state that ministers and government officials in charge of roads and transport, make frequent trips abroad where we have some of these automated toll booths, yet when they return from these travels, they do little to influence governments to streamline the processes to bring them in line with what they have seen abroad.
ADDING TOLL BOOTH CHARGES TO FUEL PRICES AT THE PUMPS
It is also amazing to hear that the government intends to add the tolls to the prices of fuel at the pumps in order to do away with the toll booths. That is dangerous and suicidal to say the least because not all road users patronise these toll booths and, therefore, some will be paying for services they have not used. Besides, this will encourage increases in transport fares unjustifiably. It is important and necessary for parliament to tread cautiously on the decision they make on this issue, otherwise, it will create chaos within the transport sector and affect the country in general.
Indeed, we need to make the collection of road tolls more productive and cost-effective to the best interest of our country because it is a force to reckon with to solve the numerous problems relating to the transportation sector.
By Charles Neequaye
Contact email/WhatsApp of author:
0277753946/0248933366
Conflict at work is more common than you might think. According to 2022 research by The Myers-Briggs Company, more than a third of the workforce reports dealing with conflict often, very often, or all the time in the workplace. The same report found that managers spend an average of four hours per week dealing with conflict, and nearly 25 per cent of people think their managers handle conflict poorly or very poorly.
Addressing a dispute might feel tense or awkward, but resolving the conflict is typically well worth it in the long run. Whether you’re trying to mediate conflict between colleagues or are directly involved, here are seven steps you can take to manage workplace conflict.
1. Don’t put it off
Facing conflict head-on is hard. However, waiting too long to address it can negatively impact your emotional well-being, focus, and the entire office environment. If you’re feeling angry, letting that emotion fester can also escalate it over time. This can make you less responsive to other points of view and make it harder to resolve the issue.
The sooner you can address the conflict, the better it will be for you, the person you disagree with, and your entire team.
2. Learn all you can about the problem
It’s important to determine the type of conflict you’re dealing with. Begin by considering the cause of the conflict. For example, ask yourself whether someone said something that upset you or if you have emotions of anger and resentment that stemmed from something that happened.
Then try to identify if it’s a task, relationship, value, or team conflict. Once you know what type of conflict it is, you can work to resolve it with specific tactics for that situation.
If you skip this step, you may waste time or escalate the situation further by trying to address issues irrelevant to the real conflict.
3. Actively listen
Listen attentively when people share their side of the story. Active listening is one of the most valuable professional skills you can possess. This type of listening involves not only hearing what the other person is saying but also listening to understand their point of view.
No matter your role in conflict, it’s easy to begin sharing your opinion with little regard for the other people involved. However, it’s important to learn about all sides of a disagreement to make well-informed decisions before drawing conclusions.
To reach a resolution, you must step back and prioritize listening over talking. Ultimately, that will encourage the other person to do the same when it’s your turn to speak. –source: betterup.com
Today, I focus on the Temple Of Praise Ministries International (TOP Church) in Helsinki, as I continue my description of personalities or institutions and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The TOP Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments that must be made known to the public. 
Some history
The Church was established in Finland in September 2016. Since its inception, it has steadily grown both spiritually and numerically, by the grace of God, as disclosed to me by Mr Matthew Anini Twumasi, the Presiding Elder of TOP’s branch in Finland. The TOP Church has other branches across Africa, Europe, and America.
The Church in Finland was founded with a vision to create a welcoming and dynamic community where people could experience God’s love and grace (see, www.topchurchfinland.org). According to Presiding Elder Matthew, the TOP Church operates within a unique environment where Christianity coexists with what is seen as a largely secular society.
Despite this, he submits, there are significant opportunities for outreach, unity, and demonstrating the love of Christ through service and community engagement.
Activities
Church services at the TOP Church are typically held on Sundays for the main worship. In addition, there are mid-week prayer sessions, Saturday prayer services, and a half-night service held on the last Friday of every month. “We also organise quarterly programs”, Elder Matthew added.
His impression of the Church so far has been positive. “It is a vibrant and welcoming community where members are committed to worship, fellowship, and supporting one another in faith”, he stated.
In sum, Elder Matthew said the Church continues to grow by God’s grace. “We remain hopeful and committed to spreading the Gospel, strengthening the faith of our members, and making a positive impact in society”, he continued.
Achievements
The TOP Church has a number of achievements and achievements. Some of the strengths include strong community bonds, cultural diversity, and deep commitment to spiritual growth.
I also remember that during the COVID-19 period, I heard that the TOP Church was one such bodies that hugely supported its members and others to cope with the situation.
According to Elder Matthew, the challenges facing the church include “adapting to cultural differences, engaging the younger generation, expanding outreach in a secular society, and securing a permanent place of worship”.
Role in the Ghanaian community in Finland
The TOP Church plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the TOP Church is a religious body for Ghanaian migrants in Finland and other nationalities who want to worship with them for diversity and better intercultural and multicultural understanding.
The Church also has mechanisms in place to support its members who are bereaved as a way to commiserate with them in times of death and funerals.
The Ghanaian community has played a vital role in the growth of the Church. Their strong sense of fellowship, dedication to worship, and active participation have helped build a solid foundation and attract others to the ministry, according to Elder Matthew.
Integration
By its activities, the TOP Church is helping to ensure integration of its members well into the Finish society.
This is important since social interaction and citizens’ well-being are an important part of the integration process.
The role of migrant associations and groups such as TOP Church acting as bridge-builders for the integration and inclusion of migrants through participation in the decision making process and by acting as a representative voice is highly appreciated in Finland. Thank you!
GHANA MATTERS column appears fortnightly. Written in simple, layman’s terms, it concentrates on matters about Ghana and beyond. It focuses on everyday life issues relating to the social, cultural, economic, religious, political, health, sports, youth, gender, etc. It strives to remind us all that Ghana comes first. The column also takes a candid look at the meanings and repercussions of our actions, especially those things we take for granted or even ignore. There are key Ghanaian values we should uphold rather than disregard with impunity. We should not overlook the obvious. We need to search for the hidden or deeply embedded values and try to project them.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
