The Ghana Road-Fund (GRF) is indebted to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and other agencies to the tune of GH¢ 286 million in respect of loans and unpaid services for road maintenance projects. As of June, this year, the fund owed SSNIT GH¢ 160 million in addition to its total indebtedness of GH¢126 million to the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), Department of Feeder Roads (D,FR) and the Department of Urban Roads (DUR). The Director of the Ghana Road Fund, Mr Francis O.M. Digber, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphicin Accra, said the huge indebtedness of the fund was undermining the efficient maintenance of roads. He explained that the amount owed SSNIT represented a loan the fund took from the Trust dating back to 2008 to finance road maintenance projects. He said although the various road agencies budgeted a total of GH¢326, 116.23 this year to undertake major and minor rehabilitation projects, the Fund was able to allocate only GH¢89,453.64 to the three agencies, leaving a balance of GH¢236,662.59. The balance, coupled with the 2010 outstanding debt of GH¢73,990.00, left a funding gap of GH¢310,652.59 to the agencies. Mr Digber said in spite of the huge funding gap, the Ghana Road Fund was expected to raise GH¢195 million to undertake major and minor road projects. He said the indebtedness and financial challenges had resulted in delays in payment to contractors and loan repayment to SSNIT and also undermined rapid expansion of the road network. He said the inability to increase the fuel levy rate, the zero levy on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and the misuse of roads were other major challenges that affected the improvement of road maintenance. Other challenges, he said, included inadequate financial resources, commitment exceeding budget, rapidly expanding road network and increased length of the paved network. Mr Digber said the piloting of automated toll collection on the Accra- Tema Motorway and the Mallam-Kasoa highway was expected to reduce revenue leakage and shore up the Fund's target this year. Three toll points, he said, would be added to those on the western and northern corridors to generate more revenue into the Fund. On the way forward, Mr Digber underscored the need for the general public to curb the excessive demands for construction of roads, while agencies must abide by their allocation budgets and the establishment of more toll collection points on the network, as well as the extension of automation of toll collection to all toll collection stations. Other strategies which could be adopted, he said, included increase in fuel levy, divesting the Ghana Road Fund of non-maintenance projects; and the government shoring up the Fund with supplementary funds.