reintroduction of toll gates on any Nigerian road, let alone announcing
it”, advising President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow himself to be
hoodwinked by some interested individuals who do not mean well for the
country.
This was contained in a statement issued after its meeting in Abuja on
Sunday by its National Coordinator, Chief Willy Ezugwu, even as the SERG
warned that “the federal government may be provoking the South East
region, in particular, if that part of the country is included in such
an unthinkable adventure like toll collecting from citizens in such a
neglected region.”
The statement maintained that “in a country where the welfare of
citizens is a top priority, such proposal would have been considered a
taboo.
“At the moment, there are several unofficial toll gates across the south
east region at roadblocks mounted by the police, customs and other
security agencies and they are currently extorting motorists day and
night with impunity.
“We believe that some interested individuals are trying very hard to
deceive Mr. President into their toll gate business. Toll collection
concession has always been a big business for looters who have used the
guise of raising money for road maintenance to corner resources of the
country.
“It is unfortunate that after increasing fuel pump price of by near 100
percent in 2015, virtually every federal roads in the country,
particularly in southern Nigeria, is in gross disrepair.
“The south east has highest number of dilapidated federal roads. States
within the south east region are so literarily disconnected from each
due to the poor conditions of federal roads in the region that toll
gates would be the highest level of provocation of the people.
“SERG wish to advise the federal government to be more innovative in
solving the age-long problem of road maintenance as toll gate is not an
option”, the group noted.