The Federal Government, on Friday, listed some roads about to be tolled, which include Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Makurdi Road, Abuja-Kano Road, Port Harcourt-Enugu, and East-West Road.

Speaking at the Ministerial Press Briefing in Abuja, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, explained that the reason the federal government is tolling the roads is because of the paucity of funds to build and maintain the roads.

He said that it’s difficult for the federal government to maintain roads across the nation, a situation that prompted the tolling.

“It is difficult for the funds of the federal government to complete all these roads. That’s why we are doing highway development and management initiative (HDMI). Of course, that is the Public Private Partnership (PPP). It’s not only to get these roads completed; we should also maintain them. And so, in the first week of June, we are going to go round and talk to stakeholders again and appeal to them to toll the roads. “For example, you look at the Abuja-Kano Road, a sizeable section is completed, but if we leave it at that until we finish the rest of the project, they will all go bad. The Port Harcourt-Enugu, the same thing. The East-West Road, the same thing. That’s what informed the reason for tolling not just to have the private sector to participate just like in every civilized country, but to also ensure that they operate and maintain the ones we have done,” he said

According to Umahi, it’s not enough to build roads but to make sure that those roads are maintained.

“The important thing is not just building the roads. In the past, we have built roads. This is the only time President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is constructing roads and the most worried aspect in the Ministry of Works is that none of the roads built in the past ever lasted up to 15 years,” Umahi said. (Saturday Sun)