ARE TOLL GATE TARRIFS DIVIDENDS OF DEMOCRACY?

ZION B-BC   NEWSLETTER.  

(Looking at Nigeria's Political System from a godly Perspective).

[VOL. 6. NO 224. 26th November, 2017.} “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You   Free! (John.8:32).

ARE TOLL GATE TARRIFS DIVIDENDS OF DEMOCRACY?

"Soldier goes soldier comes, but barrack remains," is a universal cliché that strengthens the concept of imperative continuity of government administrations and institutions because assets and deficits of previous managers were automatically transferred for continuous attention of the new coaches!
Military Ministers of Works and those of the failed Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Administrations of SIXTEEN consecutive years (1999-2015), claimed to have "successfully" executed road constructions across the country only for road users to discover that such claims were mere electronic and print media propaganda while the intractable decays resulting from criminal deficiencies in constructions have continued to stare over 170 million Nigerians in the face till date!
It has been officially disclosed by the incumbent Minister of Works (who is also in charge of Power and Housing), that only 28.980 km. out of 193.200 km of Nigerian road net works have been PAVED in the past 55 years of the nation's independence and from all available records, the claimed paved roads are virtually non- existent due to loss of asphalt surface/concretes through deterioration, dilapidation, gully erosion, floodings etc. and most of them no longer accessible!

Road transportation has become an incessant nightmare to relevant stakeholders -  the road sector operators and the commuters because erosions and deep gullies have taken over virtually all motorable roads in Nigeria in spite of billions of NAIRA which have been appropriated for road constructions, repairs and maintenance by successive administrations during the periods in question!
Over one trillion naira has been voted by the All Progressives Congress (APC),  Federal Government  for the Capital project of road constructions  in the 2016 and 2017 Budget Estimates, because of its economic importance in the distribution of wealth across the board;  but positive effects are yet to be fully felt because past claim by the PDP especially by the last Minister of Works, that all major Nigerian roads were motorable and in good condition, was nothing but FARCE!

Can Nigeria, which has the largest road network in West Africa and the second largest, south of the Sahara toy with the economic realities that come with good and well- constructed road networks in view of global developmental competitiveness in commerce, industry, manufacturing, entertainment, tourism and even the film industry?
WHAT ABOUT ROAD FATALITIES OF WHICH NIGERIA ALWAYS TOPPED THE CHART AS THE COUNTRY WITH THE ANNUAL GLOBAL HIGHEST ROAD ACCIDENT STATISTCS, BECAUSE OF ROAD GULLY POT HOLES WHICH CONSTITUTE DEATH TRAPS ON DAILY BASIS!

The Minister of Works, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fasola believes: funding could "only” be assessed by the creation of tolls and promised to ensure that the use of TECHNOLOGY will make the scheme transparent and the ministry will be accountable with the money, and ensure it is channelled to the right places. Thirty-eight tolls gates will be re-constructed at the former sites and the extra thirteen constructed in secured and conducive areas of the country after the Federal roads have been modernized to motorway and expressway standards.

GENESIS OF THE RE-INTRODUCTION OF TOLL GATES!
In 2016, twelve years after toll gate levies were scrapped by ex-President Obasanjo, the Nigerian Senate passed a motion to re-introduce them on Federal Roads in the country, but the move was resisted through public outcry by Civil Society Groups, Labour Unions, Non-Governmental Organisations, etc. and should have died a natural death but for the recent executive nod accredited to the Works Minister, Raji Fasola.
However, Mr. Fasola was categorical that Federal roads would not be levied until they have been professional fixed and in perfect motorable conditions.
The thought of the return of traffic Toll Gates gridlock which would attract in its wake, multitude of traders, shunting by impatient drivers, kilometres of vehicular cue commotion across the 36 States of the Federation, and which will create fresh set-backs to the multiple gains recorded in the economic sector, is better imagined than experienced for the following reasons:
(1) Wasted economic man-hours will be lost at toll gates.
(2) Crimes and criminalities, including kidnappings will flourish afresh.
(3) Syndicate fraud of multiple ticketing by Toll Gate cashiers would resurrect to divert government revenues into private pockets.
(4) Commercial vehicle operators will pay small fees to be pocketed by cashiers who would not issue tickets!
(5)  An all-comer avenue for corruption with impunity will boom afresh in an administration of the Change Mantra and would be very difficult to check although, Mr. Fasola promised to introduce modern technology to handle revenues that would accrue from the project!

AT WHOSE EXPENSE IS THIS VENTURE?
Re-introduction and construction of new toll gates which will gulp some trillions of NAIRA of the TALAKAWAS TAX MONIES, will become fresh tortuous adventure to them as commercial automobile drivers and commuters who would consequently spend unending hours, even days to get to their various destinations in view of the several obstacles they would have to surmount -
(a) dilapidated road networks which will slow down their journeys;
(b) police "stop and check" patrols/road blocks; immigration/customs check points; military road blocks etc, and also confronting long queues at toll gates in-between!

It is pertinent to ask the honourable Minister what informed the idea of re-introduction of Toll Gates in Nigeria when Federal Governments economic thrust is massive diversification to agriculture and natural mineral deposits in all 36 States for desired increase in GDP and export potentials! Would this proposal not eventually result in POLICY SOMERSAULT of this Change Administration?

In a recent gathering, Mr. Fasola said that the Federal Government was committed to improving the road network an DECREASE OVER-DEPENDENCE ON PUBLIC FINANCE FOR THE EXECUTION OF ROAD PROJECTS by facilitating participation of private sector, multi-lateral and bi-lateral agencies  on road development projects; And we ask, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN "PUBLIC FINANCING AND PEOPLE FINANCING"? Is this Fashola's Semantics? Is government truly committed to improving infrastructure development through delivery of good motorable federal roads or planning to increase grassroot financial burdens?

WHY OBASANJO SCRAPPED TOLL GATES LEVY IN 2004?
The PDP Administration of ex-President Obasanjo scrapped toll gates levy in 2004 due to claims that their existence encouraged corruption and that the gates inconvenienced motorists!
According to the reasons adduced, the N23 billion naira generated annually at N63 million per day was insignificant compared to the capital investment and therefore had to be replaced with THE PETROLEUM TAX REGIME OF N1.50K PER LITRE OF PETROL FOR FEDERAL ROAD MAINTENANCE ACROSS THE COUNTRY!

The ex-President also said that although the petroleum tax would create an initial public resistance because it would attract inflationary trend on goods, services, and most especially on agricultural produce due to unavoidable increase in cost of transportation, but in the long run, when the roads were well-maintained and in good motorable condition, the gains would outweigh the perceived losses.

Nigerians are yet to be told that the Petroleum Tax or the Petroleum Subsidy had been scrapped; which means that those financial burdens plus the new Toll Gate Levy being envisaged, would rest on the POOR MASSES who also pay Value Added Tax, & virtually live from hand to mouth!
BUT THIS SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE IN THIS GOVERNMENT THAT IS DETERMINED TO RESCUE THEM FROM THE YOKES OF THE NEO- COLONIALIST PDP GOVERNMENTS OF THE PAST!

ARE THE REASONS ADDUCED BY OBASANJO IN DEMOLISHING IN 2004 TWENTY-FIVE TOLL GATES BUILT BY THE MILITARY IN 1987 AT THE COST OF N74 MILLION NO LONGER TENABLE IN 2017?

Are those reasons no longer feasible today? Now that the RAILS are here, government should intensify efforts in advocacy for diversification of the large volume of goods, services, passengers to the rails and by implication remove the 90% of freight and passengers presently being ferried by road due to the inadequacy of other mode of inter and intra states transportation!
COST OF DEMOLITION OF TOLL GATES ARE STILL SHROUDED IN SECRECY!
“I have surely seen the affliction of my people...I know their sorrows.”(Exo.3:7).

Please look forward to more divine revelation in the next edition of Zion B-BC Newsletter as you share this with friends and remain blessed in the Lord. [For weekly access, to this newsletter, log on to:  facebook.com/zionfaithbible.believingchurch or http://www.zfbbc1.blogspot.com, https://www.google.com/+zionfaithbiblebelievingchurch.

If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, don’t miss this great opportunity as you pray this prayer: Lord Jesus; I confess that I am a sinner who needs to be saved through the grace of the New Testament of your Blood, shed on the Cross at Calvary; I renounce every sin in my life and accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive me and write my name in the Book of Life. Amen. If you prayed this prayer, you have been admitted into the family of sons and daughters of God, who are born-again. Congratulations.

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390.  08080243066. g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.