The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has disclosed plans by the federal government to toll all major roads across the six geopolitical zones in the country.
Umahi, who spoke on Saturday during an inspection tour of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road, explained that the government already has an agreement in place with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for the tolling of the roads.
The Minister, however, assured that based on the agreement with the NLC, the roads will not be tolled until they are hundred per cent completed.
He also pledged that work on the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano highway would be completed in 14 months, as promised, beginning from February 1.
“This road will be tolled, major roads within the six geopolitical zones and within the economic corridors will be tolled, but we are not tolling any road we have not perfected.
“We have an agreement with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) that before we tolled any roads there would have been 100 percent completion but where we have done road in the past 10 years and maybe it is still failing and we are still working in some sections, we will reach an agreement with the stakeholders because one of the key problems of our roads is lack of maintenance.
“How will you maintain 35,000 kilometers of road? So we have to involve the private sector in this maintenance. So, if you have a road that is 200 kilometers and you have concluded, maybe, 150, we can discuss with the public because if we leave that 150 without maintenance, then the problem is that it can go bad. Even our bodies are maintained, not to talk of the road that is under heavy loading. So that is what we are doing. But for now we are not towing any road we have not completed,” he said.
The Minister said the inspection was not to check the volume of work done, but to agree on the level of mobilisation.
He added that Zone 1 of the road, which is under Infiouest International Limited, would focus on the Kaduna bound lane and by the end of February, earthwork would have been completed while flag off for the concrete pavements would be on March 1.
“We’ve noticed a number of amendments we are going to do on the roads to make it most durable. We noticed that we have a lot of depression beyond the field shoulders. So, the contractor will come up with solution on what is going to be done.
“You are aware that we have a number of additional works in the entire 375 km from CH0 down to Kano that we’ve incorporated solar lights, and we’re also going to incorporate CCTV, and then relief stations, preparing ourselves for the tolling,” he said.