By Abel Zankli
Nasarawa State Government has urged the Federal Government to construct the road linking Doma to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to ease the pressure on the Abuja, Keffi, Akwanga and Makurdi Express Way by motorists.
The State Deputy Governor Dr. Emmanuel Akabe made the call during the official commissioning of the two hundred and twenty seven point two kilometres Express Way at the Garaku Toll Station.
Dr. Emmanuel Akabe while commending former President Muhammadu Buhari and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for their foresight and infrastructural drive, noted that the inauguration of the Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Makurdi Express Way will have a multiplier effect to the state as the toll stations will be a hub of economic activities.
He however appealed to the Federal Government to take over the construction of the road linking Doma to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, considering its proximity to the capital city, just as he sued for proper utilisation of the resources generated from the tolling operations.
Minister of State for Works, Barrister Bello Muhammad Goronyo who commissioned the project described the completion of the road project under the Public Private Partnership PPP as a landmark achievement.
He said that the toll border fee schedule include five hundred naira for small vehicles, eight hundred naira for SUV jeeps, one thousand naira for light vehicles and minibuses and one thousand six hundred naira for trucks, buses and multi-axle vehicles.
While assuring that the partnership with the China Harbour Engineering Company Nigeria Limited and the China Export and Import, EXIM Bank will be sustained to unlock significant economic potentials, the Minister directed the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry to look into the appeal made by the Deputy Governor regarding the Doma to Abuja road for unward action.
Briefs by the Operations and Maintenance Concessionaires, China Harbour Operation and Maintenance Company and its Tolling Partner, Catamaran Project Limited affirmed their readines to effectively utilise the revenues generated from the tolling operations.
He said the cashless electronic tolling process will entrench a culture of accountability, transparency and maintaining a save and secure road usage.
They equally sued for the cooporation of stakeholders and the entire citizens for a seamless exercise that will lead to the loan repayment to the China EXIM Bank, just as remarks by the representatives of the Senate President, Infrastructure Concessionaires Regulatory Council, Federal Road Safety Corps among others highlighted the economic viability of the tolling operations.
