FG speaks on ongoing efforts to reintroduce toll on federal roads

Federal Government said it had commenced work on its ongoing efforts to reintroduce tolls on federal roads across the country.

TG News gather that 75 companies have already submitted concession bids for 12 highways under the first phase of the Highway Development Management Initiative (HDMI).

A statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing (FMWH), Boade Akinola, quoted the Head of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in FMWH, Mrs Abimbola Asein, saying on Tuesday that roads under consideration for the development are Benin-Asaba, Abuja-Lokoja, Onitsha-Aba-Owerri, Shagamu-Benin, Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga, Kano-Maiduguri, Kano-Katsina, Lokoja-Benin, Enugu-Port Harcourt, Ilorin-Jebba, Lagos-Abeokuta, and Lagos-Badagry.

She added that the ministry has commenced the work in conjunction with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning and other stakeholders on the initiative.

“The buy-in of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and the National Assembly had been obtained.

“The nation is looking forward to a robust procurement process that will attract capable concessionaires that will develop and manage these routes”, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary, FMWH, Babangida Hussaini, said the request for qualification bid opening ceremony signaled the commencement of the value-added concession evaluation exercise.

He said: “The ministry shall ensure that the procurement process is in line with the ICRC Act and approved public-private partnership guidelines.”

Hussaini said those who meet the basic prequalification criteria would be shortlisted and subsequently invited for the request for proposal (RFP) stage.