- “I want to clearly direct that what the minister has released is complete brutum fulmen, it means it is an empty boast. It has no effect and therefore I call on him to honourably withdraw that directive. Failure to do so will be a serious breach of the directive of the Speaker and that would amount to contempt of Parliament."
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has directed the Roads and Highways Minister to reverse the directive on the cessation of road tolls until Parliament provides appropriate legislation.
Bagbin said it is only proper for the minister to reverse the directive on the cessation of road tolls since Parliament is yet to approve the 2022 Budget.
According to the Speaker, the minister lacks the legal mandate to issue such a directive and has suggested that the minister initiates legislation under a certificate of urgency to seek the approval of the House.
“…Until this budget is approved, all what is contained in the budget are proposals. We [Parliament] have the authority to approve…nobody and I mean nobody has the authority to start implementing something that doesn’t exist…”
He added, “I want to clearly direct that what the minister has released is complete brutum fulmen, it means it is an empty boast. It has no effect and therefore I call on him to honourably withdraw that directive. Failure to do so will be a serious breach of the directive of the Speaker and that would amount to contempt of Parliament.
“I think that it is proper for us to direct the minister, a member of this House, in fact, a senior member of this House, I think that he might have acted wrongly and therefore I call on him to reverse this decision,” he said.
Listen to the audio below:
The Speaker’s directive was in response to a demand by the Minority who described the act of the minister as a disrespect to the House and a violation of the Fees and Charges Act.
Speaking on the floor of the House, Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader cautioned that the apparent blatant disregard of the legislature in enforcing the directive could lead to lawlessness in the country.
However, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader argued that the minister acted in good faith because intelligence gathered suggested that there could be chaotic scenes at the various toll booths following the announcement by the Minister for Finance on Wednesday (17 November)
The Ministry of Roads and Highways scrapped the collection of road and bridge tolls on all public roads in line with the spirit of the 2022 Budget Statement.
The directive took effect on Thursday (18 November) after the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, while presenting the 2022 Budget Statement informed Parliament that the government is abolishing “all tolls on public roads and bridges”.
Hours after this, Kwasi Amoako-Atta said in a statement that personnel of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service will be on hand to provide security at the toll locations from the effective date.
“Motorists are kindly advised to approach the locations with caution and observe all safety measures that will be put in place. The motoring public will be advised of further measures in due course,” the minister said.
Hawkers upset
However, the directive did not sit well with hawkers who were upset over the “sudden implementation of the directive without giving them prior notice.”
Hawkers who ply their trade around the tollbooths due to traffic build-up are furious over the decision because the current “free-flow of traffic” is affecting their business.
Asaase News reporters who visited some major tollbooths in Accra on Thursday report that most of the drivers were shocked “when they got to the tollbooths and paid nothing” and commended the government for the initiative to “address the frustrating traffic challenges.”
“No one informed us about this decision. I’m taking care of my family. I came here this morning and suddenly we’re being told they are no longer taking the toll so it means there will no longer be traffic, and that affects our business,” a woman told Asaase News’s Nana Adjoa Entsuah-Hagan.
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