Seventeen private tollbooth collectors engaged by the government to collect tolls from the country’s tolled roads and bridge, owe the Ghana Road Fund (GRF) (GRF), GH¢833,631.04 according to Auditor General’s Report on a special audit carried out on the tollbooths, between January 2008 and June 2010.

The report said although the GRF had referred the matter to the Attorney- General’s office for prosecution to retrieve the moneys from the defaulters, no action has been taken yet.

The road tolls collection was privatised in 2005 but from 2008, the Road Fund Board phased out the role of private operators and handed over the collection to the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) from September 2009.

The report, as published on the website of the Ghana Audit Service, expressed worry that the inability to retrieve the moneys from the defaulters had deprived the GRF the needed resources to carry out its mandate of maintaining the country’s road network.

The report has, therefore, urged the GRF “to send a reminder to the AG’s office seeking an update of the status of the legal action on the case.”

It said all legitimate avenues should be explored to ensure that the amount is retrieved from these private operators”

The defaulters are Oti Yeboah, Kumasi –Sunyani road, GH¢142,760.56; Seidu Mahama, Kumasi-Mampong road, GH¢106,650.00; Sedan Ventures, Accra –Tema motorway, GH¢24,550; Bet Buttco Ltd, Accra –Tema motorway, GH¢5,442.89; Kapplan, Sunyani-Dormaa GH¢42,323.25; Tropic Oil, Kumasi-Mampong, GH¢27,200.00 and Lakayama Ltd, Kumasi-Sunyani, GH¢14,532.45.

Others are VAG,Tema-Akosombo, GH¢46,597.87; Sedan Venture,Ashaiman- motorway,GH¢8,750.00;McGoerge Ent.Kumasi-Mampong(Aboaso) GH¢32,039.46;McGorge Ent.Kumasi-Mampong(Kyeremfaso),GH¢4,249.81;Infrast Dev,Soromaso,GH¢22,106.21;Prime Star,Sogakope bridge,GH¢73,600.00;K.D.V.Lexico,Adomi Bridge,GH¢24,250.00 and Eva Asa Ltd,Beposo Bridge,GH¢59,000.00.

The rest are Abba Building Centre,Beposo BrIdge GH¢30,000.00,Alolo Bro,Bambio Bridge,GH¢9,050.00;Alolo Bro,Sogakofe 2,GH¢135,000.00;Waraing Co. Ltd,Kade,GH¢18,673.75;Enterprise Ivest,Adomi 2,GH¢24,300.00,Abba Building Centre,Ankobra,GH¢1,581.00 and Top Target Co.Ltd,Dunkwa,GH¢3,100.00.

In September,1997,the GRF Act 1997(Act536) was promulgated with the objective of providing a framework for effective management of the fund’s revenue driver from international transit fee, Road Tolls and Vehicle Registration and road use fee are collected respectively by the custom division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana Highway Authority and Driver and vehicle Licensing Authority.

The road fund is used for routine and periodic maintenance of roads which include rehabilitation, upgrading, road safety activities and projects carried out by GHA, Department of Feeder Roads and Road Safety Commission.

But the report said “the fund does not appear to have halted the deplorable state of the road network it was intended to address as the poor road conditions are still prevailing.”