“I Expected the Return of Toll Booths to Create Jobs, But It Was Missing from the Mid-Year Budget”

Tax practitioner and financial consultant Foster Oteng Amoako has expressed disappointment that the government did not announce the return of road toll collection in the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review, despite previous indications that the policy would be reintroduced to create jobs and increase domestic revenue. Speaking on ICADTV's Ghana Nti Morning Show, Mr. Amoako said the budget contained few new revenue-generation measures, arguing that much of the Finance Minister's presentation focused on the government's achievements rather than introducing fresh initiatives to strengthen the economy. "There was no additional revenue initiative. The budget was largely about what the government has already done. Overall, they have performed well, but I expected something new, particularly the return of the toll booths," he said. Commenting on Ghana's macroeconomic performance, Mr. Amoako welcomed the decline in inflation to below five percent, describing it as a positive development. However, he cautioned that the Finance Minister's inflation target of 8 percent, with a margin of plus or minus 2 percent, means inflation could rise to as high as 10 percent if economic conditions worsen. He also identified revenue leakages as one of Ghana's most significant fiscal challenges, noting that although the country's tax-to-GDP ratio remains relatively low, substantial revenue is lost through inefficiencies in tax administration. According to Mr. Amoako, one of the most effective ways to tackle the problem is for the government to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) to strengthen revenue collection and identify leakages. "One of the best ways to use Artificial Intelligence is to detect and prevent revenue leakages. That is part of good governance and will improve domestic revenue mobilisation," he stated. Mr. Amoako further argued that the removal of certain taxes has reduced government revenue, while Ghana's large informal sector continues to contribute relatively little to the tax base because of weak enforcement and inadequate tax structures. He called for comprehensive reforms to expand the tax net by bringing more informal businesses into the formal tax system, saying improved compliance would increase domestic revenue and reduce fiscal leakages. While advocating stronger domestic revenue mobilisation, Mr. Amoako stressed that the government should place equal emphasis on prudent public spending. "The focus should not only be on generating more revenue. Government must also ensure prudent expenditure and the efficient use of public resources to achieve sustainable economic growth," he concluded. Note: The views expressed by Foster Oteng Amoako are his personal opinions and policy recommendations. His comments regarding the return of road tolls, the use of AI in tax administration, and the government's fiscal strategy are analyses and proposals rather than statements of established fact.