Fashola And His Strange Concept Of Toll-Gates On Nigeria Federal Roads

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola,SAN on assumption of office shocked Nigerians by his declaration that most federal roads in the country would be tolled under a concessionary arrangement leading to controversies in the polity.

Fashola had during his tenure as the governor of Lagos constructed the Lekki-Epe Expressway and Lekki-Ikoyi Link Road under similar agreement which generated both protests and litigation against the Lagos State Government. The innovation prompted a divide between the haves and the haves-not; while the former welcomed the development, the later disagreed stalwartly stressing that it was aimed at frustrating the low-class out of the highbrow area.

Following the controversy, the state government immediately extended the project to provide alternative routes in conformity with the conventional norm, considerable reduction of tolls on the Lekki-Ikoyi link road while only a toll point along Lekki-Epe Expressway was actively retained. Political opponents particularly the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos audibly used the toll-gates against the All Progressive Congress during the governorship election.

It would be recalled that during the administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo earlier, that payments on the road were not only abolished, but all toll-gates along federal highways were permanently destroyed.

Suddenly, the same facilities earlier rejected by the federal government, knowing that government is a continuum, is about to be reintroduced by the government, albeit through another administration, precisely Mohammadu Buhari. Haphazardly, this singular act could portray the leadership of the country as trial and error governments, and perceptively, the re-introduction of this facility, sadly by the government people enthusiastically pile up enormous expectations, now turning around to siphon money from the impoverished citizens leaves much to be desired.

Conversely, looking at the road toll system prior to its removal which undeniably, was marred by corruption and abuse by government personnel who intrepidly converted the toll gates to fiefdoms, by collecting fees from motorists without remittance to the appropriate quarters accordingly, to conclude that its removal by Obasanjo’s administration was thoughtful and justifiable would however, be reasonable. Apparently, the toll-gates then had no substantial objective as virtually all federal roads were in pitiable situations despite the tolls collected from the road users.

Extensively, concessionary arrangement has long been adopted by several developed countries across the globe, and its mechanism springs up infrastructural development exponentially. Above all, sumptuously creates a well-built platform for government–private sector collaboration in infrastructural development with tendencies to boost employment opportunities, among others.

In addition, it remarkably creates opportunities where gigantic people-oriented projects like road construction among others, are financed and executed irrespective of the scope of the government treasury, with little concomitant input from the government.

To adopt a hunter’s mindset (always satisfied by self immediate needs) which forlornly characterized a large number in any developing nation, it would invariably amount to a dangerous and misguided idea to re-introduce toll-gates where citizens are passing through diverse predicaments. However, according to Elbert Hubbard, “the idea that is not dangerous is not worthy of being called an idea at all.”

Prudently, the Minister’s mindset represents that of a shepherd who is futuristic and thinks extensively irrespective of resources at his disposal. For example, with the budget of N34, 245,043.369 allocated to his three-in-one ministry, which is indicative of limited capacity to record extraordinary results, the government could through the proposed road concessionary system make a tremendous progress on infrastructural development and counter unemployment. The concession should not be politicized either. The concern of the citizens should be to sensitize the government towards making provision of alternative routes for the toll gates in line with the concessionary rules all over the world. By this method, construction of scores of federal roads on a specified standard across all the six geopolitical zones could take off simultaneously with little or no stress. Interestingly, toll is among the numerous means of paying taxes which is a civic responsibility.

With the 2016 budget proposal to the National Assembly, which clearly indicates sensitive efforts of the government to stimulate the economy, as well as prioritizing the welfare of citizens through various incentives like the provision of a course-meal in public schools, stipends to the vulnerable citizens among others, no doubt, the present administration will become a reference point at the end of the administration, if implemented accordingly. The concessionary arrangement of tolling most of the federal roads will adequately position the government to concentrate on other sectors that require urgent attention, and thereby meeting the high expectations of the citizens on the government.

*Carl Umegboro,Public Affairs Analyst is the Media Group Head, Pinnacle InfoGallery BLOG.