The Niger state governor, Mallam Umaru Bago, has called for a return of the tollgate regime saying this would ensure the enforcement of weight limits to avoid overloading and damaging of highways in the country.
Bago, worried by the deplorable state of the roads, attributed the continuous damage of the roads to those involved in overloading trucks and articulated vehicles.
He said fees should be paid by road users for yearly maintenance of the roads, stressing that he would present the issue to the leadership of the National Economic Council (NEC).
The governor also said he would personally inform NEC to consider having a national policy on weighbridges considering the unregulated volume of content plying the roads in the country.
“Nigeria must resume the regime of toll-gating; we cannot continue as a country to fix roads and the people who are into overloading will continue to damage our roads. So, people should pay money for using road infrastructures so that the proceeds can be used to maintain the roads year in and year out.
“Again, we will take it up with the National Executive Council leadership. I will also personally inform NEC on the need to have a national policy on weighbridge,” Bago said.
He disclosed that the Niger State would partner the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) in terms of providing a roadmap and training of procurement officers in the state to understand that transparent and efficient procurement practices are crucial for the growth and development of the state.
