ActionAid advocates for return of Toll gates
Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi has advocated for the return of toll gates, as a means of generating income for the maintenance of roads across the country.
Obi made the call on Wednesday, during the National dialogue on Nigeria’s performance at the third biennial review exercise on the implementation of Comprehensive Agriculture Development (CAADP).
According to her, there was no need for government to borrow thereby plundering the future generations to debt, when projects could be financed from revenue on such roads, adding that improved road networks would encourage transportation of produce.
She explained, “We really have problem with infrastructure, the leadership of Nigeria should be ashamed for the infrastructural development. The resilience of Nigerians is something we can’t even beat. If you are to be a transporter in Nigeria, you know how expensive trailers are, to put a trailer on a road and we have 36 states with the Federal Capital Territory each of them have ministries of works. We have engineers that are retiring without smelling the road.
“How much will it take to put some billions, we are sitting on the engine road of development in the world because about 62 percent of our population are young people. When we were young for every kilometer of the road, was marked by work men they made sure there were no potholes. I want to commend the resilience of the transporters and I need to say they are trying so hard to get to the farmers. The issue of transportation for agricultural produce is so essential.”
Bemoaning the state of infrastructural deficit across Nigeria, which is hampering agriculture, the Country Director said, “Nigeria can not go the way it going, I say it remembering the fact that it was during president Obasanjo’s time that over night the toll gates were given 48 hours to be destroyed and I was wondering what happened because Nigerians are not complaining of paying for toll gates.
“Toll gates can maintain and repair the roads because the amount of vehicles we have in Nigeria but it was destroyed. So, what have we done to the roads, even in the United States we have toll gates, South Africa they have toll gates.”
She revealed that for the toll system to work, as witnessed in developed climes, Nigeria should ensure the system passed integrity test.
Obi added, “It about transparency and accountability. If we put a toll, it will be used to maintain all the roads in the federation; leadership and management is something we have to do. That is why we call on government to pay attention to infrastructural development.”
Also speaking, International Programme Manager Public Finance on Agriculture Constance Okeke, lauded the Federal Ministry of Agriculture for agreeing to dissemminate the report publicly.
She said this would help African countries to see the gaps, towards ensuring food security in the continent.
“Yes we know the Covid-19 has posed a great challenge. It also poses a good opportunity for us to build back and build better.”
