Road Fund Exceed Target(Back Page) 11/01/08

Story: Michael Donkor
THE Ghana Road Fund Secretariat generated a total revenue of GH¢112 million (¢1.12 trillion) at the end of 2007, exceeding its target of GH¢110 million (¢1.1 trillion).
The fund which generates revenue from levies on fuel, vehicle registration fees, road-user fees, road and bridge tolls, ferry tolls and transit fees — is used to meet the maintenance budget of agencies which depend on it.
The agencies are the Ghana Highway Authority, Departments of Urban and Feeder Roads and the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC).
The Deputy Director in charge of Finance and Administration of the secretariat, Mr Francis K. Arthur, in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, said the secretariat paid GH¢101.8 million ( ¢1.018 trillion) to the Ghana Highway Authority and Feeder Roads in 2007 to be used to pay contractors who had undertaken maintenance and rehabilitation works on the country's roads.
He said the budget of these agencies as of 2007 was GH¢101.6 million (¢1.016 trillion) but the secretariat paid about 0.2 per cent above their budget to enable them to meet other expenditures which might have occurred.
Mr Arthur said in 2006, the secretariat bagged GH¢108.4 million (¢1.08 trillion) while its target for that year was GH¢120 million (¢1.2 trillion).
He explained that the secretariat could not meet its target in that year because it made a proposal for increase in road toll which was factored into its target but the proposal was not accepted.
Mr Arthur said the secretariat's target for 2008 was GH¢129 million (¢1.29 trillion).
He said most of the newly constructed roads in the country would have toll booths on them.
He mentioned Adenta-Dodowa, Tema-Sogakofe, Kpando-Worawora, Yamoransa-Takoradi, Nsawam-Ofankor and Anyinam-Nkawkaw as some of the roads which had received cabinet approval for toll booths to be sited on.
He said the secretariat was awaiting parliamentary approval for the booths to be erected.
Mr Arthur debunked rumours that the government used the Road Fund monies to resolve the energy crisis.