House of Rep rejects motion to re-introduce toll gates nationwide

The House of Representatives has rejected a motion to re-introduce toll gates on roads. Rejecting the motion sponsored by Rep Francis Charles Uduyok (PDP, A/Ibom), the House said Nigerians should not be subjected to another form of hardship, especially at a time the country was in hardship.

Uduyok had in his motion said Nigerian roads were in bad conditions and that toll gates would help in maintenance and construction of interstate roads.

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, had also in May stated that only the National Assembly can give go-ahead for re-introduction of toll gates to generate additional revenue for government.

The House also deliberated on kidnappings on some major highways in the country.

Adopting a motion by Rep Muhammad Usman (APC, Kaduna), the House said that the Abuja-Kaduna highway had become a den of kidnappers.

Usman lamented that despite the busy nature of the road, killings and kidnappings had become frequent on the road.

He said the kidnappings had terrible socio-political consequences in and outside Nigeria.

Contributing, Rep Bashir Baballe (APC, Kano), said if the trend was not urgently checked, people would no longer be able to travel in most parts of the country.