Former Minister for Roads and Highways, Francis Asenso Boakye, has rejected claims that President John Dramani Mahama’s plan to reintroduce road tolls via a digital system is a novel initiative, arguing that the foundation was laid by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
Speaking at the 9th Ghana CEO Summit and Awards Expo on May 26, President Mahama announced that his administration would reintroduce road tolls in a modernised, cashless format that eliminates the need for physical toll booths.
The proposed system is expected to leverage digital tools, including Ghana Card-linked vehicle ownership data, to enable automatic billing and mobile money payments.
While the Mahama government has framed the plan as part of its broader digital transformation agenda, Mr. Asenso Boakye took to Facebook on Tuesday, May 27, to “set the record straight.”
He stated that the NPP government, under which he served as Roads Minister, had already laid out a comprehensive strategy to digitise toll collection before Mahama assumed 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.”
Asenso Boakye noted that the NPP government had already begun developing a tech-driven alternative by leveraging existing digital infrastructure such as the Ghana Card and the Digital Address System.
He said Cabinet approved the reintroduction of road tolls through a digital platform in 2024, with the Ministry of Roads and Highways adopting a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model under Act 1039.
An indigenous Ghanaian company was selected as the concessionaire following a competitive process that included feasibility studies and due diligence. A Concessions Agreement was subsequently drafted and submitted to Parliament, although it was not passed before the end of the legislative term.
He expressed disappointment that the Mahama administration abandoned the process rather than continuing it.
“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.”
Asenso Boakye called on the Mahama administration to prioritise policy continuity and resist what he termed “political repackaging” of previous initiatives.
“Ghanaians deserve leadership that builds on progress, not one that repurposes the work of others as their own,” he added.
