Sat, 13 Jan 2018 12:40:53 +0000
By KALOBWE BWALYA
GOVERNMENT has collected K1, 901, 866, 000 from toll fees since the project started in 2013, says Housing Infrastructure and Development Permanent Secretary Charles Mushota
Mr Mushota said in 2017 alone Government, raised K667b, 658,000 from toIl fees recording a 98 percent achievement against a projected annual budget of K682 million.
Mr Mushota said this figure represents a 44 percent increase from the K464.779 million toll fees collected in 2016.
He explained that the increase in toll fees collection has been attributed to the introduction of value proposition such as local user discount and frequent user discount aimed at promoting equity and affordability among different classes of road users thereby encouraging toll road usage.
He also said the revision of the toll tariffs to reflect regional toll process as well as value for money and also increase in the number of inland toll points effectively increasing the toll plaza footprint across the country.
And Mr Mushota said Government’s long term goal was to raise a minimum of K1 billion per annum in form of road tolls.
“The annual target for 2018 is to collect K845 million in tolls which is a projected growth of about 26.5 percent from the actual toll collections of 2017.
“Government is optimistic that this target will be met and surpassed as the Road Development Agency and the National Road Fund Agency have very ambitious objectives to roll out additional toll plazas as well as introduce innovative and efficient means for collection of tolls within 2018,” said Mr Mushota.
