The Federal Government has stated that the Abuja-Keffi-Makurdi tollgates will soon be ready, News About Nigeria reports.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this while responding to questions on the tolls in Abuja.
He noted that there will be four toll gates along the 260km Abuja-Keffi-Makurdi expressway, adding that it conforms with the requirements of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
He explained that the law establishing ICRC prescribes the minimum and maximum requirements for tolling of roads on concession.
Although the toll gates are yet to be operational, the commuters along the route have raised concerns that four points for payment of tolls on a 260km stress road will be burdensome.
They, however, commended the federal government for the timely delivery of the project.
Umahi said, “The total length of that road is 260 kilometres, and it is dualised, which means you are talking about 520 kilometres, 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 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, about in terms of electronic payment of tolls.
“So, we are trying to ensure that we carry such people along.”
Recall that the minister on the 17th of October, inaugurated the committee on the implementation of a cashless tolling system on the road.
According to Umahi, the cashless tolling system is a strategic program under the Highway Development and Management Initiative aimed at promoting a strong and sustainable transportation ecosystem.
