FG to implement tolling system for Abuja- Keffi highway, unveils committee

The Federal Government has inaugurated a committee on implementation of Cashless Tolling System for Abuja-Keffi Expressway and Dualization of Keffi-Akwanga-Markurdi road.

Accordingly, the unveiling of the Committee was made by the Minister of Works, Engineer David Umahi at the Ministry’s Headquarter in Mabuchi, Abuja on Thursday.

Speaking during the inauguration, the Minister stated that the cashless tolling system was a strategic programme under the Highway Development and Management Initiative aimed at promoting strong and sustainable transportation ecosystem.
He said, “This is one of the cardinal strategies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu towards realizing the desires of our people in the road sector development. Recall that a point of Keffi-Akwanga-Markurdi was done on EPC + F.

“And funded up to 85% by China Exim Bank, and the Federal Govt paid 15% counterpart funding and job was executed satisfactorily by China Harbour Ltd. Part of the agreement is that they will toll the road and then recoup the money for the Federal Govt to pay back the loan segment of the project.

The Minister who commended very highly the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the vast strategic economic recovery initiatives of the Renewed Hope administration, and expressed hope that the committee would leverage on ideals of the Terms Of Reference handed to them.
While developing a robust implementation masterplan that would lead to the realization of the economic and social objectives of the Highway Development and Management Initiative which is institutionalized to ensure sustainable private sector investment and to improve the quality and quantity of the road assets in Nigeria with a view to propelling rapid economic development.

Umahi tasked the committee on the Terms Of Reference which among other things are to develop the cashless tolling system implementation framework, with appropriate recommendation as to the potentials of relief stations, good physical environment along the corridors and profer practical solution to the challenges of implementing cashless toll collection in Nigerian environment.

He said “We must also, as part of the assignment, develop relief stations. Relief stations is what you see in overseas’ expressways, where you’ve a lot of stations where you have a supermarket, you have a small clinic, you have also security outfits, and a number of other facilities, including parks, wheel lorries, and vehicles park, and tow vans.

“The idea of Mr. President is that we should have a maximum of 10 minutes of response time on our Highways, meaning that in the full development of this route, part of the assignment will be how we can install CCTV cameras, and also have solar light all through the entire route of the project.
“And so, we will be able to put security on our roads, and then we have a station at the relief center, where they will stay and watch the vehicles, so that within 10 minutes of any incident along the route, the security people will be able to be there within 10 minutes response time.”

Earlier in her welcome remarks, the Head PPP Unit, Federal Ministry of Works, Mrs. Ugwu-Chima Nnennaya stated that the inauguration was part of the statutory responsibilities of the Ministry which has the mandate to attract private sector funding for development and management of Federal road network through the Highways Development and Management Initiative (HDMI).

She said, “The HDMI is expected to, among others, bring order, accountability, and profitable entrepreneurship to operations, management, and maintenance of Federal Highways.

“This is consistent with the provisions of the ICRC Establishment Act 2005; National Policy on Public-Private Partnership (“N4P”); Federal Roads and Bridges Tolling Policy of August 2021 and Federal Highways Act CAP. 135, 1971, which grants the Minister the power to administer Tolls on Federal Highways.”
In her acceptance speech on behalf of the committee on implementation of Cashless Tolling System, the Committee Chairman thanked the Ministry of Works for the opportunity to serve the nation in that capacity.

She noted the scope of the assignment, which she said was onerous and assured of profound commitment of the committee to the assignment given to them.

She said, “We thank you, Honourable Minister, for giving us this opportunity to serve our nation. As we know, infrastructure is the root for development, and amongst the sectors of infrastructure, transportation is one of the most important sectors.

“Without transportation, things would slow down, and we need to open up roads everywhere as we all know that, particularly in Nigeria, transportation is one of the main means of movement for people, goods, animals and everything.

“So, it’s a sector that is very important in the development of a nation. I would like to thank the Ministry of Works for giving us the opportunity to serve, and we will do our very best to make sure that we contribute to the success of this project.”

The committee which comprises members drawn from the Federal Ministres of Works, Finance, Budget and National Planning, Justice as well as Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has the Head.

Also, PPP Federal Ministry of Finance, Haj. Jummai Katagum and the Head PPP Unit, Federal Ministry of Works, Mrs. Ugwu-Chima Nnennaya as Chairman and Secretary, respectively. The committee has within two (2) weeks to submit its report.