Ebenezer Ekow Richardson, a former client service worker at the Beposo tollbooth in the Western Region, has slammed the Roads and Highways Minister, Kwesi Amoako-Atta, for failing to keep many promises made to tollbooth attendants who were abruptly let off after the Minister’s direction.
In an interview with Connect FM’s Omanbapa morning show’s Nhyiraba Paa Kwesi Simpson, Mr. Richardson said that the Minister only ‘brags’ when he engages the media.
He claims that their paychecks are still two months late, and that the Ministry has refused to pay despite his assurances.
He further alleges that the minister’s pledge to get them insured never came true.
“The Minister agreed to pay us all of our two-month salary arrears, but he has failed to do so. He arrived and pledged to guarantee that attendants were insured after the Tema tollbooth disaster, but he has also neglected to follow through on that commitment. He reminded the program that even the accident victims had been abandoned.
Mr. Amoako Atta has said that tollbooth constructions around the nation would be turned into adequate washrooms for road users.
He thinks that the program would encourage drivers to abandon the habit of making random stops along the road for commuters to relieve themselves.
His remark drew a lot of criticism from a diverse group of people who feel his idea is inappropriate.
Mr. Ebenezer Ekow Richardson weighed in on the topic, saying that the minister’s choice is based on a misguided priority.
If the government has any intentions, he believes they should enable them to return to work and contribute to the country’s income generation.
“Right now, we’re talking about the E-Levy, but we could produce revenue for the government if the tollbooths were functioning.” “Rather than turning tollbooth buildings to washrooms, the Minister should think about how to rehabilitate our work,” he continued.