The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) on 10th February rolled out an electronic toll-payment system.
In this light the GPHA has engaged the various transport unions, drivers’ associations, freight forwarders and corporate organisations as well as shipping lines who are involved in the hauling of import cargoes from the port and evacuating of empty containers.
The e-tolling system is intended to facilitate trade while reducing the time spent in queues during the manual payment of tolls.
Drivers, and importers would have the opportunity to now pay via their visa cards, mobile money and master cards, to the bank who would eventually remit payments to GPHA.
According to Garvin Amarvie, the Corporate Monitoring Manager and ISO Co-ordinator of GPHA, the e-tolling system would eliminate the human interferences associated with paying tolls at the port. “We are looking at the electronic tolling to facilitate trade. We do not want people to waste time to go and pay toll manually at vending points before they get access. That wastes time,” he said.
He continued by revealing that, GPHA has partnered GT Bank to put in place a system to conveniently collect tolls from drivers and importers. “You do not have to go and waste time at vending point, for example Golden Jubilee or the main gate where you stand to purchase anything. GT Bank is now standing in for us and has come out with a package and they have been able to introduce a software that will be able take electronic payment from these people,” he revealed.
Some representatives of the GT Bank demonstrated how the electronic payment systems, will be used at the ports.
