Get ready, Ghana! Former President John Dramani Mahama has unveiled a game-changing plan to reintroduce road tolls, but with a thoroughly modern twist: no more dusty tollbooths, no more fumbling for cash.
Instead, drivers will see charges automatically deducted from their mobile money wallets or bank accounts, all thanks to the ubiquitous Ghana Card.
Speaking at the 9th Ghana CEO Summit in Accra on Monday, May 26, 2025, Mahama declared the future of road financing is digital. “We’ve already connected every vehicle to its owner’s Ghana Card,” he explained.
“For instance, if you pass the East Legon Bridge, a camera will capture your vehicle and a bill will be sent directly to your MoMo or bank account. No tollbooths, no waiting, just simple billing.”
This innovative approach, Mahama says, leverages Ghana’s robust identity management system.
He even recounted a recent query from officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo, who sought a reference for the local contractor behind Ghana’s ID card system. “I informed them that Margins did an excellent job.
This same infrastructure is what we are now utilizing to modernize toll collection,” he stated with confidence.
The previous manual toll system, abandoned by the Akufo-Addo government in 2021, was plagued by notorious traffic jams and inefficiencies.
Mahama, whose NDC administration was a proponent of tolls, insists this digital revamp will eliminate congestion and revenue leakages, ensuring greater compliance and a smoother experience for commuters.
The digital toll initiative is just one piece of a larger puzzle, Mahama noted, aimed at revitalizing Ghana’s economy through technology and efficiency in public services and infrastructure development.
It’s a bold move, he stressed, to restore economic confidence and secure crucial funding for Ghana’s roads and other vital infrastructure.
