No Going Back On Re-Introduction Of Toll On Federal Roads
Busolami Idowu
The Federal Government said Thursday that the purpose of reintroducing tolling system into the management of the Nigerian roads was to help boost the road sector across the country.
The Federal Minister of state of works Amb. Bashir Yuguda, made this known during the Federal Roads and Bridges Tolling Policy consultation forum in Abuja, saying that the re-introduction of the tolling policy would open the sector to both local and international investors.
He said that the fact that over 90 per cent of economic and social activities are run on the Nigerian roads put so much pressure on them, adding that as such so much funds are needed to maintain the roads to keep them in motorable condition.
“The economy is doing well, the road transport account for over 90% of the movement of road and services in the country any nation no matter how advance you are, almost 90% of the movement of goods and services in this country is on road and that calls for regular maintenance.
Yuguda noted that it would be run on a Public Private Partnership basis unlike in the past where it was run in a public service method with all its trappings of inadequacies and mismanagement. According to him, federal government had come up with a comprehensive policy to back up the tolling system with a view to avoiding the pitfalls of the past.
He urged all the participants to deplored their professional acumen in coming up with a robust policy document that would enhance seamless operation of the tolling policy. “I urge you to have robust discussion on how we can come up with comprehensive policy on our roads. We have developed a template and we will subject to review, after which we will now come up with the final document to take to the federal council for the approval of the council and the approval of the President”, Yuguda added.