Group urges staggered tolls on Lagos-Calabar highway

The President, Institute of Physical Assets and Infrastructure Management (IPAIM), Dr McCarthy Ijiebor, has advised the Federal Government of Nigeria to adopt a staggered toll system on the Lagos-Calabar highway project to mitigate the likely economic impacts on low-income earning villagers along the axis.

Igiebor, while speaking to journalists in Lagos, explained that siting tolls within major cities across the highway was a good idea as the road users across that axis would not be entrapped in the tolls and would have cause to complain about payment of tolls.

However, he noted that some villages within the highway are inhabited majorly by peasants and low-income earners like fishermen and farmers, who in an attempt to force payment of tolls on them will erode incomes.

Ijiebor said: “We could implement staggered tolls to ease the burden on low-income road users. There is also the need to consider alternative routes to minimise displacement and fair compensation for affected communities. A balanced approach will ensure the project benefits the nation without undue burdens on citizens. We must also consider the project’s environmental impact and ensure it’s designed with sustainability in mind.”

He acknowledged efforts made by authorities at managing the country’s physical assets and infrastructure but observed that that some loopholes still existed.

These, he noted, include inadequate maintenance, insufficient funding, and lack of standardised practices. For instance, he said, many assets were not properly maintained, leading to premature deterioration.

He said: “Additionally, funding for asset management is often inadequate, and there’s a lack of standardised practices across different sectors. As an institution, we aim to address these gaps through training, research, and advocacy for best practices in asset management.”

On abandoned projects and white elephant projects in the country, he said it could be curbed through project planning, regular monitoring and accountability measures.

He, therefore, proposed community involvement in project planning to ensure local needs being met, public-private partnership and transparency in project reporting to track progress.

Ijiebor said: “We recommend regular project audits and penalties for non-completion to ensure accountability. By taking these steps, we can minimise the occurrence of abandoned projects and ensure public funds are utilised effectively.”