They said they welcomed the government's decision to re-open the tollbooth and establishment of the Women Development Bank with joy and anticipated that the President facilitate the opening of the tollbooth and the establishment of the Bank.

Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minister of Finance announced the allocation of GHC51.3 million as a seed capital for the establishment of the Women's Development Bank when he presented the 2025 budget statement to parliament.

The bank establishment aims to provide soft loans women in small scale business businesses to expand, enhance their socio-economic livelihoods. and thereby contribute significantly to economic development.

Additionally, the minister also hinted the government intention to re-open and re-introduce road tolls, but in a more digitised manner.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Fiapre in the Sunyani West Municipality, the petty traders and hawkers comprising bread and sachet water sellers, food and fruit venders as well as those selling pastries said the closure of the tollbooth by the previous administration had slowed down their economic activities.

They said the economic activities of many of the traders around the tollbooth had collapsed and called on President Mahama to expedite action for the re-opening to the tollbooth.

"We are hoping to see the re-opening of the tollbooth to restore the thriving commercial environment here again", one of the traders only known as Auntie Pomaa stated.

Describing the Women's Development Bank as welcoming, some of the traders, mostly bread and fruit sellers said they needed capital to expand their businesses.

According to some of them, especially the hawkers selling sachet water, access to financial assistance or loans remained challenging, alleging that most of the financial institutions were unready to give them the loans.

Miss Yaa Serwaa, a bread seller said though the bank establishment was laudable, her fears were that accessing the loans would be characterised by partisan politics and favouritism.

Another fruit seller, Adwoa Mary said "we expect that priority will be place on petty traders in accessing the loans. Every qualified trader, irrespective of her political colour must also get the opportunity to access the loan".

"If the President Mahama is commitment to give us the loans, he must then ensure that the paper works are also reduced at the bank. Because if that happened then many of us would be frustrated and we would be denied of such a facility", Leticia Gyan, a sachet water seller stated.