…Reintroduce toll gates for better infrastructure, security

…Reps move to concession federal roads, reintroduce toll gates

Honourable Esosa Iyawe, representing Oredo Federal Constituency of Edo State in the House of Representatives, has sponsored a motion seeking to concession the rehabilitation, maintenance and management of federal roads to private investors and reintroduce toll gates on selected highways.
The motion, co-sponsored by Honourables Olusola Fatoba, Abdulmaleek Danga and Uche Okonkwo, seeks alternative funding and management arrangements to address the deteriorating condition of federal roads, promote sustainable infrastructure development, generate revenue and enhance security.

Presenting the motion on the floor of the House, Iyawe identified prolonged neglect, inadequate funding, poor maintenance and pressure from heavy-duty vehicles as major factors contributing to the decline of federal roads.
He said the situation had led to avoidable accidents, loss of lives, vehicle damage, higher transportation costs and delays in the movement of people and goods.

“An efficient road transportation network is fundamental to national economic development, trade facilitation, agricultural productivity, industrial growth, national security and the general welfare of citizens,” he said.
Iyawe noted that several federal roads had deteriorated significantly because of inadequate maintenance and insufficient funding, resulting in economic losses and increased hardship for road users.

He highlighted Edo State’s strategic position as a major transportation corridor linking southern Nigeria with the South-South, South-East and northern parts of the country.
According to him, the Benin-Lagos, Benin-Asaba, Benin-Warri and Benin-Okene highways, among other critical routes, require urgent rehabilitation to improve connectivity, trade and economic activities.

The lawmaker said the poor condition of the roads had adversely affected commercial activities, increased the cost of transporting agricultural produce and essential commodities, discouraged investment and imposed significant economic burdens on residents, commuters and businesses.
The motion noted that the Federal Government’s reliance on annual budgetary allocations had not consistently delivered the scale of infrastructure renewal required across the extensive federal road network.

It proposed transparent public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements to attract private capital, technical expertise and efficient project management while reducing the immediate financial burden on the government.
The motion also argued that regulated toll gates on rehabilitated highways could provide a mechanism for recovering private investments, financing routine maintenance, supporting road safety operations and generating revenue.

It added that toll operations could create employment opportunities in toll administration, security, traffic management, road maintenance and related businesses.
On security, the motion said toll plazas could provide points for lawful security presence, intelligence gathering and emergency response, provided they did not restrict citizens’ freedom of movement or become avenues for harassment and extortion.

Following the presentation, the House resolved to urge the Federal Government to develop and implement a comprehensive national framework for concessioning eligible federal roads to competent private investors under transparent PPP arrangements.
It called for priority to be given to roads requiring urgent rehabilitation, as well as major economic and commercial corridors.

The House also urged the Federal Ministry of Works, in collaboration with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and other relevant agencies, to assess the federal road network and identify roads suitable for concessioning, rehabilitation, operation and long-term maintenance.
In addition, lawmakers called for toll gates to be reintroduced on selected federal highways after substantial rehabilitation.

They said toll charges should be based on transparent economic assessments, public consultation and affordability considerations.
The motion further mandated the House Committees on Public Assets, Works and Finance to engage relevant agencies and monitor implementation.

The proposal seeks to establish a framework in which private investment supports road rehabilitation and maintenance, while regulated toll revenue helps fund the continued upkeep of selected highways.