Mallam/Kasoa toll booth area to be expanded

Back page May 14/2008

Story: Charles Benoni Okine

THE Ministry of Transportation has ordered the immediate expansion of the portion of the Mallam-Kasoa road, around Tuba junction, where new temporary toll booths have been installed.
The sector minister, Dr Richard Anane, asked the Ghana Highway Authority to expand the road from the present two to four lanes to make way for the mounting of permanent toll booths.
The move is to ease the traffic build-up on the road as a result of the mounting of toll booths without any expansion of that portion of the road.
Dr Anane gave the order when he and the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), Mr Eric Oduro-Konadu, and some officials visited the toll booths mounted near the new police barrier on the Mallam-Kasoa road.
Unlike last Monday, when the authorities started operating the booths, the traffic situation was slightly better yesterday because some toll collectors were busily selling coupons to motorists outside the makeshift booths mounted on the road.
But some motorists did not take kindly to the situation and while some cast insinuations at the minister and his entourage, others suggested the relocation of the booths.
They argued that the position of the booths near the police barrier was not the best, adding that they were unable to bear what they described as the terrible traffic caused on the road.
Dr Anane said he had taken the criticisms in good faith and apologised for the inconvenience but made it clear that “the booths will not be removed but work is going to begin immediately to expand that portion of the road where the tolls are collected from the present two lanes to four lanes”.
He said by building a toll plaza of about four each on each side, there will be nothing to worry about.
Dr Anane said although minor challenges were anticipated, the magnitude was not expected and gave the assurance that “just as we have managed to do today to reduce the traffic, we will continue to improve the situation until work on the expansion is completed”.
He pleaded with the police to allow the vehicles to pass through when it was a peak period to ease some of the traffic.
Hitherto, after going through the traffic for several hours to pay the toll, the police also stop the vehicles for regular checks, a situation which compounded the traffic.
Dr Anane used the opportunity to sample views of some motorists as to whether they would pay more for using the road.
After they had admitted to do so without hesitation, he said soon after the expansion, the tolls would be increased to a minimum of GH50Gp.