The well anticipated law mandating the Executive branch of government to collect taxes from heavy- and light-duty vehicles, taxies, tricycles and motor bikes plying thehighways is due to come into effect soon.
It follows the recent submission to the plenary of the House of Representatives an act proposing the toll system to raise funds for road projects across the country.
The Chief Sponsor, River Gee County Representative, Isaac Choloplay Wuo, said the proposed tax system will help raise funds to maintain the highways, which he claimed are in a deplorable condition.
He underscored that with the economy in rapid decline as a result of the impact of climate change, global pandemic, such as corona virus Disease, COVID and Ebola, there is a need for external sources to help boost the nation’s financial standing in order to carry out its functions.
He noted that if the bill is passed into law and printed into hand bills government will generate resources to construct additional highways and recondition the existing ones.
Speaking to Legislative Press at his Capitol Office, minute following the submission of the bill to plenary last Tuesday, Representative Wuo called on his colleagues and owners of vehicles plying the nation’s highways to demonstrate their love for the country by embracing the toll system.
The River Gee lawmaker emphasized that vehicle owner’s contribution to the cause will go a long way in assisting government’s reconstruction program.
According to the bill, which is presently in committee room, heavy-duty vehicles plying the major highways shall pay a sum of US$2, followed by buses and jeeps, US$1, taxies, US$0.50 cents, while tricycles and motor bikes shall pay a toll of US$0.25 cents, or its equivalent in Liberia dollars for every trip made.
The proposed law further maintained that senior government officials, including the President, Vice President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative, President Pro-Tempore of the Senate, the Chief Justice and members of the Supreme Court of Liberia shall be exempted from the proposed law.
On the issue of its implementation, Representative Wuodisclosed that the Liberia Revenue Authority shall have the right to collect the toll and deposit same in a consolidated account, bearing the signatures of the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Minister of Public Works, and the Minister of Transport.
Representative Isaac Wuo was elected with overwhelming votes last October on a promise to help government overcome its financial problems and raise the standard of living of the suffering Liberian people.
The Toll Act has been welcomed by Liberians eager to see speedy development in their country.