The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has called for citizens’ support for tollgate operations to ensure the sustainability of road projects.
Akpabio, represented by Senator Anthony Ani, a senator representing Ebonyi South senatorial district, spoke at the official commissioning of the tolling operation on the 227.2km Abuja – Keffi – Akwanga – Makurdi Expressway.
He said the tolling would ensure that the roads are not left to ravage over time due to neglect.
He said, “This tolling initiative is no mere policy. It is a covenant between the governments and the people, a promise that our roads shall not fall into neglect and that their upkeep shall not be left to fate. Still, it shall be sustained through a system of responsibility and accountability. Some may ask, why toll the highways? Could you let me know why this burden is placed upon the traveller? To them, I say, great nations do not shrink from necessary duty.
Great nations understand that property must be built, that progress comes with sacrifice, and that development must be funded by those who reap its rewards.
This tolling system will ensure that our roads are not left to the ravages of time and neglect. The revenue collected will be used to maintain, expand and improve our highways. It will inform future projects, create employment and ensure that our transport system remains efficient and safe”.
He explained that the strategy had been employed by the greatest nations on earth, and Nigeria, too, must not shy away from its necessity.
“Let no one mistake this for a tax without a toll. Let it be understood that every toll paid is an investment in the future, a contribution to a Nigeria that is stronger, richer and better equipped to serve its people”.
He continued, “My countrymen, I cannot pretend all is well. I know these are challenging times, but the weight of economic adjustment bears down upon the shoulders of the common man. The path to recovery is never smooth. The road to greatness is never free of obstacles. But I say to you, do not despair. Do not lose faith. Do not falter, for I have seen the fire of resilience in the Nigerian courage. I witnessed the courage with which our people face adversity.
I know that if we hold firm, march together, and keep our eyes fixed upon the horizon, a new dawn will surely arise”.
“The government is not blind to our struggles. We are not deaf to our cries.
But know this: every reform, every policy, every decision it makes, not for today alone, but for the future, we must build. The hardships of the present are but the furnace in which a more muscular, wealthier, more secure Nigeria shall be forged,”.
My friends, this is not the time for division. This is not the time for cynicism or doubt. This is the time for patriots to stand together, for communities to support one another, and for Nigerians to build once more on the promise of their land. And so, with great confidence in our future, with unshakable faith in our people, and with the conviction that duty calls us to action, let us support these projects,” he added.
Also speaking at the inauguration, the Director General of ICRC, Dr Jobson Ewalefoh, said that the project shows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to Nigeria’s infrastructure development.
Ewalefoh, represented by the Director of the Transport Infrastructure Department, Mr Shehu Danmusa, said that the ICRC, as the PPP regulator, confirms that the project conforms with the ICRC Act.
He commended the Federal Ministry of Works and the concessionaire for their commitment to the project and called on Nigerians to support it as more PPP projects beyond roads were underway.
