The Federal Government on Wednesday gathered stakeholders and road users at a consultation forum in Abuja to explain the key benefits of its tolling policy.

CEOAFRICA gathered that this move is in line with the Federal government bid to reintroduce toll gates on Nigerian roads and bridges.

At the consultation, the Federal Government urged stakeholders to make inputs to the already prepared ‘Draft Green Paper on Federal Roads and Bridges Tolling Policy.

According to the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Works, Mr. Bashir Yuguda, who purported that the Federal Government lacked the financial capacity to sustain the roads, the planned tolling of roads and bridges was part of the reforms of the ministry to ensure maintenance of Nigerian roads.

He said, “Road transport accounts for over 90 per cent of the movement of goods and services in Nigeria and this shows that we must give our roads the required attention as they contribute largely to our overall economy.

“But the Federal Government can hardly do enough, so the idea of tolling is very crucial. I urge stakeholders to come up with inputs that will make the policy very comprehensive and beneficial to us all.”

The draft paper, which was prepared by the ministry, however stated that tolling would generate the revenue needed to recover the funds invested on the construction, rehabilitation, financing, maintenance and operation of the roads and bridges.