Nasarawa Residents, Motorists Decries Exploitation as Economy bites harder – TEC News.
The residents and motorists in Nasarawa State, Nigeria has laments the latest development in the state they described exploitation as the new toll gates become operational.
The Federal Government on Tuesday officially launched toll operations on the Abuja–Akwanga–Lafia–Makurdi Road corridor to repay the $460.8 million loan obtained from the China Exim Bank for the road’s rehabilitation and upgrade.
It also announced that motorists using the highway would begin paying tolls ranging from N500 for saloon cars to N1,600 for multi-axle vehicles.
However, police and military vehicles are exempt from toll fees to facilitate their operations. The toll gates on the route are divided into four sections: Keffi, Akwanga, Lafia, and Makurdi.
This development is however described as exploitation by the people in Nasarawa State who lives and work within the state as they said it has worsen the already biting economy.
Speaking to TEC News correspondent at Nasarawa Eggon – Akwanga toll gate, motorists laments the fees being collected and the hold up it has created thereby increasing the travel duration of motorists on the same road.
A motorist, Abdullahi Mainasara complaint that he lives in Nasarawa Eggon but works at Keffi and apart from the high cost of fuel, he pays N2,000 as toll gate fee alone.
” This is a serious matter. Everyday , I pay N500 at Keffi – Akwanga toll gate and another N500 fee at Akwanga – Lafia toll gate when going and same payment when coming back home. It means I pay #2,000 daily for toll gate alone. It is unfair. It is exploiting to the residents in the state. Why won’t the government allow a ticket from a toll gate be a return ticket within same day? “. He asked.
As it concerns the public transport, a commercial driver simply identified as Saka said “there is a hike on cost of transportation already though passengers have been complaining and even cursing drivers without readiness to understand what we the drivers are also going through from servicing our vehicles , to high cost of spare parts , fueling and even the toll gate cost. It is not easy and how can we meet up”? Saka added.
Another motorist who lives in Akwanga (name withheld) said the hold up is much at the Toll Gate since they do not receive cash payment. Many of the motorists without ATM card pays more as POS operators collect extra N100 to receive and transfer N500 for cardless drivers.
“This morning on my way to Nasarawa Eggon from Akwanga , I paid N600, as N500 toll fee and extra N100 as POS charges at the Akwanga – Lafia Toll Gate and now that I am returning, I am to pay same amount , #600 before I would be allowed to pass through the gate, making #1,200 despite that I drive in my car. Public transport to Nasarawa Eggon from Akwanga is #1,000 but a car owner or driver pays #1,200 on toll gate alone because he is not in possession of his ATM Card. This is much. Supposing I live in Keffi and need to be in Nasarawa Eggon for a meeting or something , it would cost me N2,400 to and fro on Toll Gate only. It is much and this country is just becoming more hot by the day to live”.
As the travelers continue to complain , they made references to numbers of issues affecting Nigerians ranging from the recent hike in telecommunication as Airtel raised their charges by 50%, Television Subscription fees, electric tariff increase, PMS pump prices etc, Nigerians are actually lamenting suffocation.
“We are surfocating. We are dying. We are tired. This government is merciless and we are not in their agenda at all” became the noise that filled the air by some youth loaded in a commercial bus in the hold up at the toll gate during the time of filing this report.