Senate Backs Reintroduction Of Toll Gates

Nigerian SenateAmid the economic recession and its attendant effect on Nigerians, the Senate on Tuesday, passed a resolution supporting the reintroduction of toll gates on the country’s federal highways.

The resolution was sequel to a motion sponsored by Suleiman Nazif (APC/Bauchi North).

Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Minister of Power, Works and Housing, had last December, dropped the hint that the Federal Government will reintroduce toll gates where revenue generated can be channeled towards sustaining and maintaining federal roads, which are mostly in a huge state of disrepair.

The plan to reintroduce toll gates’ policy, over 12 years after it was abolished, has been rejected by the House of Representatives and Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).

The Senate, however, in backing the reintroduction of the gate policy, said it would synergize with other relevant bodies to study the policy and find “effective and efficient ways to carry out the policy in order to generate more funds for roads maintenance”.

While arguing for the reintroduction of toll gates, Sen. Nazif noted the deplorable state of Nigerian roads, which he said could be addressed with revenue generated from the collection of toll.

The APC senator recalled that the policy was abolished in 2004 by then President Olusegun Obasanjo, who leaned towards the argument that roads should rather be maintained from revenue generated from fuel pump price increase.

Nazif’s motion was supported by the Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, Biodun Olujimi (PDP-Ekiti), Akpan Bassey (PDP-Cross River), and Bukar Ibrahim (APC-Yobe) among others.

While Mr. Ndume said he supported the reintroduction of toll to maintain roads, given Nigeria’s shrinking revenue, Mrs. Olujimi stressed the need for transparency in the management of the toll gates.