Bissau, Aug. 6, 2024 (Lusa) - The president of Guinea-Bissau warned on Tuesday that from now on, all citizens must pay road tax, even if it is a general tax to help maintain public roads.

Umaro Sissoco Embaló travelled in person today to the headquarters of the Road Fund, an institution linked to the Ministry of Public Works, to pay the tax on five of his personal vehicles.

"These vehicles are mine, they don't belong to the state, I came to pay the Road Fund, as a citizen Umaro Sissoco Embaló," the Guinean head of state told reporters.

The Road Fund is a tax paid for the use of public roads and bridges, but which in recent years has been neglected by citizens due to the poor state of the country's main access routes.

The president said this situation had changed as a result of his government's interventions in various areas of the country, particularly in Bissau.

"If Umaro Sissoco Embaló, the president of the republic, has paid into the Road Fund, there is no other citizen who willn't," he warned.

The measure only exempts hospital ambulances and defence and security forces officers on duty, he noted.

The president urged the Road Fund management to reactivate, as of Wednesday, all the deactivated tolls in the country.

"Even if you're a general, if you're in your private car you have to pay," said Umaro Sissoco Embaló.

MB/ADB // ADB.

Lusa