Stubborn Legon still charging road tolls despite government opposition

• Posted on February 10, 2014February 10, 2014
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The University of Ghana is still collecting road tolls it has slapped on motorists driving through its campus, despite being asked by government to cease collection, Joy News has revealed

Checks on the road leading to the University of Ghana campus reveal motorists, who have driven into the campus using various entry routes are made to pay the toll, and tickets issued.

Joy News’ Joseph Opoku-Gakpo, who stood at one of the toll booth sites reports that drivers using the university roads are being made to pay the toll before entering the university.

Commercial taxis are made to pay Two Ghana cedis, private cars going for One Ghana cedi with heavy duty vehicles paying Three Ghana cedis.

As a result of taking tolls from motorists, roads leading to the university had developed heavy traffic situation around the area with some drivers exchanging words with the security personnel conducting the exercise.

According to the motorists, it has come to the attention of the general public that government has taken over the debt incurred by the university for the construction of the roads and therefore the university should cease collecting tolls from motorists.

Meanwhile, university officials are unavailable for comments but officials collecting the tolls, even though aware of government’s directives not to take road tolls, continue to engage in the exercise as they have not received any directive from the authorities of the university.

The University started the collection of road tolls since February 1, this year.

Several interest groups including the Students Representative Council (SRC) of the University of Ghana have kicked against the decision of the university authorities.

Arrangements have also been made for private road users to make one-time payments with the university authorities exempting only employees of the institutions and their dependants using vehicles registered with the university, from paying the charges.

Authorities of the University of Ghana say it will only reverse their decision to charge tolls on its roads if government pays them an amount of 2.3 million dollars since it is saddled with about 130 million Ghana cedis debts to settle with their bankers.

Author: Ivy Benson