Parliament Approves 20-Year Electronic Tolling Agreement as Government Moves to Address Infrastructure Funding and Housing Deficits

The Parliament of Ghana has sanctioned a landmark 20-year concession agreement with Rock Africa Limited to reintroduce road and bridge tolls across the nation through an advanced electronic system. This Public-Private Partnership (PPP) marks a significant policy shift, reversing the 2021 suspension of manual tolling that had impacted the country's road maintenance capacity. Under the approved framework, the government will receive 70% of the gross toll revenues, while Rock Africa Limited will retain 30% to manage operational costs. The initiative is designed to create a sustainable and transparent revenue stream for the Road Trust Maintenance Fund without placing an undue burden on the national treasury.

The new tolling network will feature barrier-free, multi-lane free-flow technology intended to eliminate the long queues and congestion previously associated with manual booths. The project will cover 13 major transport corridors, involving the retrofitting of 38 existing toll locations and the establishment of 28 new ones. Payments will be fully digitized, linked to mobile wallets, bank accounts, and the Ghana Card. During parliamentary deliberations, officials including Dominic Nitiwul highlighted the efficiency of the electronic model, comparing it to successful systems in other jurisdictions. The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza, assured the public that the tolls will be applied only to high-quality roads, with specific tariff structures and roll-out schedules to be announced shortly.

Parallel to these infrastructure developments, the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources has entered into a strategic partnership with the National Homeownership Fund (NHF) and Shelter Afrique Development Bank. This agreement initiates the "Ghana VIRAL Model Assessment," a comprehensive diagnosis of the national housing ecosystem. The assessment focuses on five pillars—vision, institutions, regulations, actors, and local initiatives—to identify policy gaps and improve sector coordination. This diagnostic tool is expected to provide the evidence-based roadmap necessary to address Ghana's housing deficit and will inform discussions at the upcoming National Conference on Housing Finance.

While advancing these projects, the government has also moved to protect the integrity of its infrastructure agenda. Minister Agbodza issued a stern warning against fraudulent individuals claiming to sell government road contracts under the "Big Push" infrastructure programme. He emphasized that all contracts are awarded through legal procurement processes and are not for sale, urging Ghanaians to report scammers to the police. As these multi-sectoral initiatives take shape, the administration under President John Mahama continues to focus on integrating digital technology and strategic partnerships to drive national development and economic stability.