The Federal Government has said that the four toll gates along the 260km Abuja-Keffi-Makurdi expressway is in conformity with the requirements of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, while responding to questions on the tolls in Abuja, explained that the law establishing ICRC prescribes the minimum and maximum requirements for tolling of roads on concession.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports Umahi was reacting to a question on concerns raised by some commuters on the number of tolls on the newly delivered expressway.
Although the toll gates are yet to be operational, the commuters along the route have raised the concerns that four points for payment of tolls on a 260km stress of road will be burdensome.
They, however commended the federal government for the timely delivery of the project.
“The total length of that road is 260 kilometres, and it is dualised, which means you are talking about 520 kilometers, and I don’t think that we have more than four toll gates on that road.
“There is a law establishing infrastructure concession regulatory commission, and they have the minimum requirements and maximum requirements for tolling.
“We have followed that law and and we have also set up a committee, because we are doing a cashless collection on the road.
“The committee members are meeting with us next week, and they will tell us how to go about that, because, there are a lot of people who do not know how to read and write, when it comes to ICT.
“It may be difficult for them to understand what we are talking, in terms of electronics payment of tolls.
“So, we are trying to ensure that we carry such people along,” the minister explained.
NAN recalled that the minister on Oct. 17, inaugurated the committee on the implementation of cashless tolling system on the road.
According to Umahi, cashless tolling system is a strategic programme under the Highway Development and Management Initiative aimed at promoting strong and sustainable transportation ecosystem.
The committee’s tasks included, designing the cashless system, establishing relief stations with essential services such as supermarkets, clinics, and security outposts, and ensuring improved security along the highway.
Umahi had stressed: “Within 10 minutes of any incident along the route, security people will be able to respond.”
NAN reports that the Abuja-Keffi-Markurdi road project was procured under the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction–Finance (EPC+F) model.
The road, executed by the China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC) was funded up to 85 per cent by China Exim Bank, with the 15 per cent counterpart funding from the federal government.
The project cost 542 million Dollar, and with CHEC handling it, China Exim Bank provided 85 per cent (460.8 million dollar) of the funding in the form of Preferential Export Buyer’s Credit.
A section of the agreement states that the company will toll the road and then recoup the money for the government to pay back the loan segment of the project.(NAN)