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
Today, I focus on the Apostolic Church International in Finland, as I continue with my description of institutions and personalities and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The Apostolic Church International, Finland (or, Apostolic International Association Ry) was established in October 9, 2023. The Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments within the short time that it has been established in Finland, which must be highlighted.
History of the Church in Ghana
The Apostolic Church Ghana originated from the 1904–1905 Welsh revival, officially established in Ghana (then called Gold Coast) in 1935 following connections between a local prayer group in Asamankese (a town in southern Ghana), led by Peter Newman Anim, and the Apostolic Church, UK. There were historical splits in 1939 and 1953, but the Apostolic Church attained autonomy in 1985.
Today, the Church is headquartered in Accra. Last year (2025), it dedicated its new 10-storey headquarters, “The Apostolic Church Tower,” in Frafraha, Adenta West in Accra.
Activities of the Apostolic Church in Finland
The Apostolic Church in Finland conducts church service on Sundays. The service starts at 11a.m. in the morning and closes by 1 p.m. in the afternoon. There are no other activities during other days for now.
The Minister in charge of the church in Finland is also the Area Head of Italy Area. He is Pastor Daniel Kofi Addison who is the new Italy Area Head, and has just been transferred from UK South Area to Italy Area during the just-ended Council Meeting in March this year. Italy Area comprises Italy, which has 13 Assemblies, Germany, one Assembly, and Finland, one Assembly.
Elder Ebenezer Amoaning-Coffie is the Presiding Elder in charge of the Assembly in Finland. A Presiding Elder is responsible for day to day activities of the church (Assembly) and reports to the District Pastor, or in the absence of the District Pastor, reports to the Area Head.
Achievements
The Apostolic Church International, Finland was officially registered under the Finnish Law, guaranteeing freedom of worship and providing legal foundation for future growth. The church service is conducted in both English and Twi.
The church opens its doors to all people of every nation, especially Ghanaians who are in Finland and other African nationals. Now, the membership comprises Ghanaians, Nigerians and Sierra Leoneans.
The Church and the Ghanaian migrant community in Finland
The Apostolic Church in Finland plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the Apostolic 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.
Elder Amoaning-Coffie said that the main and primary aim of the church is to bring people closer to God. “We aim to win souls for Christ. We aim to preach the gospel to the world. By propagating the gospel to the people, we are hopeful that they will turn away from any ungodly ways and be good individuals in the community and in society in general”, he stated.
He said that everything is going well so far. A key challenge, however, is how to get more members especially the youth. As a new Assembly, we are in need of instrumentalists, for example. We pray to God Almighty to help us do His work, the Elder disclosed.
Integration
By its activities, the Apostolic 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 in Finland.
As I mentioned some time ago, the role of migrant associations and groups such as the Apostolic 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!
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
The landscape of the Ghanaian palate is shifting, and not necessarily for the better. In our bustling urban centres, from the streets of Accra to the suburbs of Kumasi, a quiet culinary revolution is taking place; one where the mortar and pestle are being replaced by the pizza oven and the deep fryer. This transition from traditional staple foods like fufu, banku, akple, kenkey, tuo zaafi, and ampesi toward “continental” dishes is more than just a change in appetite; it is a reflection of a deeper social struggle with identity and prestige.
The illusion of modernity
For many, “stepping out” for a meal has become synonymous with consuming foreign cuisine. There is an unspoken social hierarchy where a bowl of Abunuabunu is relegated to the village category, while burgers, pizzas are branded as prestigious choices. We have reached a stage where we equate foreign with modern and local with primitive.
This perception is a dangerous illusion. Our traditional dishes are marvels of culinary engineering complex, nutrient-dense, and deeply rooted in our history. When we choose a processed foreign import over a meal made from local tubers or fermented maize, we are not just changing our lunch; we are eroding the indigenous knowledge attached to our local ingredients and foods.
We need to turn the consumption of indigenous grains and tubers like millet, sorghum, and plantain into a statement of self-worth and national pride.
The cultural and health erosion
Every time a local dish disappears from a restaurant menu to make room for foreign fast food, we lose a piece of our cultural fabric. Traditional Ghanaian cooking is an art that requires patience and skill. By choosing the convenience of foreign fast food, we are raising a generation that may know the taste of a pepperoni pizza but cannot identify the rich, earthy profile of Prekese or the subtle tang of well-fermented dough dishes like corn porridge, banku, etew, abolo, agidi or kamfa, and kenkey.
Furthermore, we are at the crossroads of a nutrition transition. Replacing high-fiber, indigenous crops with calorie-dense but nutrient-poor foreign fast foods is driving a rise in lifestyle diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, cancer, and liver disease. We are trading our longevity for 15-minutes convenience or unhealthy diet.
A call for culinary patriotism
It is time for us to appreciate, preserve, and promote our indigenous foods and culinary traditions. We need to be proud of our local dishes, ingredients and cooking methods, rather than relying heavily on foreign or imported foods. We must stop viewing our local delicacies as low-class and start treating our culinary heritage as the high-end gastronomy it truly is.
True sophistication does not come from imitating Western fast food; it comes from innovation and adding values to our own resources. We see glimpses of this potential in the rise of branded Sobolo and the creative use of gluten-free plantain flour in modern baking of flour-based dishes such as bread, cakes, biscuits and others. This is the path forward. We must elevate our local dishes, making them as accessible, affordable, presentable and trendy as any foreign alternative.
To the hospitality industry: Innovate or stagnate
Our hotels and high-end restaurants must lead the charge. They must stop relegating local dishes to the “traditional corner” of the buffet, and apply the same culinary finesse given to imported dishes to our Fante Fante, apapransa, aborbi tadi, fetritoto, akple, abolo, yakayeke, fufu, ampesi, kokonte, wasawasa, tubani, apapransa, mpotompoto, kelewele, aliha, brukutu, pito, and other local dishes. The industry must enhance customer experiences making eating local dishes the ultimate luxury experience for both tourists and residents alike. We must elevate the presentation of our foods by using modern plating techniques to show that a bowl of light soup can be as visually stunning as a French consommé. We need to reclaim our Ghanaian plate before it is too late.
To the policy makers: Let us encourage buying of local ingredients to promote the local food industry and economy. There should be educational programmes and talks about the nutritional and cultural benefits of local foods so that people understand their value.
We need to encourage serving traditional dishes at school programmes, parties, and celebrations instead of only fast foods,
To the Youth: Let us value and appreciate our traditional dishes instead of always choosing foreign foods. There must be balance in our choice of local and foreign dishes. Confidence in our culture encourages others to respect it too. Our local dishes can also be promoted by sharing pictures, recipes, and videos on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp to make them attractive and trendy.
Young citizens must learn from their parents and elders how to prepare local meals to keep the knowledge and cultural relevance alive. Local dishes can be modernised to appeal to younger generations and tourists.
Conclusion
We cannot afford to trade our heritage for foreign cuisines which are gaining grounds across the country at an alarming rate. We must disabuse our minds of the perception that anything foreign or imported is better than those locally made. Our health, economy, and identity are tied to the soil. It is time to stop apologising for our local flavours and start celebrating them. It is possible to embrace modernity without losing ourselves and our cultural identity. Let us make the Ghanaian kitchen the heart of our modern identity once again.
By: Marilyn Gadogbe
