Toll Gates: FG to release fresh blue print





The Federal Government has hinted it may soon release the clear blueprint on tolling of federal roads across the country, as a guide to states wishing to concession such roads to private persons for the purpose of erecting toll gates. It noted that its earlier stand on the return of toll gates still holds, but maintained that states who intend to introduce tolls on federal roads in their domain would not be allowed to do so.

Speaking recently at the commissioning of WEMPCO Steel Mill in Ogun State, President Goodluck Jonathan stated that the Federal Government would not allow any state government to give out federal government roads to private persons for the purpose of erecting tolls. While reacting to calls from state governments to be allowed to erect toll gates and maintain federal government roads, the President stated that any state that has money to fix roads within its domain could as well go ahead, provided it would not seek refund from the federal government.

But in the light of providing infrastructure for business in the country, president of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Mr. Emeka Ele, said at the institution’s 43rd National Conference in Edo State that if the return of toll gates on the Nigerian highways will create the enabling funds for the maintenance of the roads, Nigerians will support it. Commenting on the decay of infrastructure in the country, Mr. Eleh urged government to return the toll gates, if that can help to maintain the roads, adding that while infrastructures are built there was need to set aside a sinking fund for the maintenance. He noted that it was not enough to build roads without putting in place a maintenance arrangement.

The NIESV boss also urged government to pay attention to housing through establishment of mortgage financing fund, arguing that investment in housing will create job opportunities apart from adding to national GDP. “Government must pull down interest rate to a single digit for the housing sector to boom. Property tax is a high income earner for government because the stability and the consistency at which it creates income supports government revenue generation. We encourage government to facilitate issuance of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O). Government should fund mortgage the way it funds SMEs by fast racking the release of loans to Mortgage Housing,” he said.




sun newspaper