President John Dramani Mahama has shared an exciting plan for Ghana to switch to a digital toll system. This change is part of a bigger goal to make our roads and how we manage them much better.
During a big event called the 9th Ghana CEO Summit in Accra, President Mahama talked about how Ghana is getting better with technology. He mentioned that the Ghana Card, which is like an ID for everyone, is already being used for things like driver’s licenses and registering cars. This is a great start for creating a smooth digital toll system.
President Mahama pointed out that now every car is connected to its owner’s Ghana Card. This means we don’t need those old toll booths where you had to stop and pay with cash or cards. “We will just go straight to digitalise,” he said, which means everything will be done online!
To explain how this new system would work, President Mahama used the East Legon bridge as an example. Imagine you drive over the bridge, and it costs 1 cedi. A camera would take a picture of your car, and then a bill would be sent to you. The money could be taken directly from your mobile money account or bank account.
This new way of collecting tolls would mean no more waiting in long lines at toll booths. It would also help the government collect money more efficiently and keep traffic moving smoothly.
President Mahama’s ideas come at a time when the government is thinking about bringing back road tolls, which were removed in 2021. His suggestions fit perfectly with the theme of the summit, which is all about making Ghana’s economy better and more sustainable for the future.
In short, moving to a digital toll system could make traveling on our roads easier and faster for everyone!