Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Landless People’s Movement (LPM) says introducing the tolling system in Namibia will push vehicle owners into bad debts as they will struggle to settle e-toll accounts with the Namibia Traffic Information Systems (NaTIS).
LPM spokesperson Eneas Emvula said in a statement this will also lead to financial frustrations and disgruntlement among the low income earners.
“We condemn such a deceptive public initiative and call on Namibians not to accept e-tolls,” Emvula said in reaction to plans by the Road Fund Administration (RFA) to introduce toll gates along the country’s roads.
The RFA said it had identified 23 sections of the road across the country that are viable for setting up toll gates.
RFA chief executive officer Ali Ipinge said Cabinet had approved plans to implement the tolling system in principle.
However, Emvula accused Cabinet of taking “wrong and ignorant decisions that plunged the country into astronomic foreign debt”.
The LPM official added that Cabinet “intends pushing taxpayers and the larger public into unbearable and catastrophic economic implications that will collectively lead the country further and closer, if not already – to the breaking point”.
If implemented correctly, Emvula said e-tolls have the potential to serve as a revenue generating source for the public budget of a country. However, he said that under the prevailing economic circumstances, the proposed N$3,4 billion is not sustainable.
*This article has been updated to correct the LPM spokesperson’s first name. We had initially reported that his first name is Eino, when in fact it is Eneas. We regret the error.
LPM spokesperson Eneas Emvula said in a statement this will also lead to financial frustrations and disgruntlement among the low income earners.
“We condemn such a deceptive public initiative and call on Namibians not to accept e-tolls,” Emvula said in reaction to plans by the Road Fund Administration (RFA) to introduce toll gates along the country’s roads.
The RFA said it had identified 23 sections of the road across the country that are viable for setting up toll gates.
RFA chief executive officer Ali Ipinge said Cabinet had approved plans to implement the tolling system in principle.
However, Emvula accused Cabinet of taking “wrong and ignorant decisions that plunged the country into astronomic foreign debt”.
The LPM official added that Cabinet “intends pushing taxpayers and the larger public into unbearable and catastrophic economic implications that will collectively lead the country further and closer, if not already – to the breaking point”.
If implemented correctly, Emvula said e-tolls have the potential to serve as a revenue generating source for the public budget of a country. However, he said that under the prevailing economic circumstances, the proposed N$3,4 billion is not sustainable.
*This article has been updated to correct the LPM spokesperson’s first name. We had initially reported that his first name is Eino, when in fact it is Eneas. We regret the error.
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