BREAKING: GOMEP Kicks Against Reintroduction Of Highway Tolls, Backs Labour Unions
The Guild Of Online Media Editors And Publishers (GOMEP) Nigeria, an umbrella body of online news publishers in Nigeria has joined the labour unions to condemn the reintroduction of highway tolls, stating that it would further exacerbate the hardship in the country.
In a press statement, in support of the National Association of Road Transport Owners, the National Union of Road Transport Workers, and the state chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, GOMEP asserts that the policy would result in a hike in transportation and food costs.
The National President of the group, Dr. Dozie Nwankodu, stated that the Federal government should be more concerned about alleviating the sufferings of the already economically stretched populace rather than imposing further hardship, recalling that fuel subsidy removal in May 2023, without any intervention has destroyed the livelihood of millions of Nigerians and severed the prices of goods and services in the country.
“I think the Nigeria government should be more responsible and responsive to the sufferings of her people. A situation where people are still grappling with untold hardship occasioned by sudden removal of fuel subsidy on May 29, 2023, without articulated plans to cushion the effects, and the people are not revolting, should make the government not to take the people for granted.
“There has been an increase in electricity tariffs by this government, and just last month, there was an increase of 50% in telecoms tariff by the government, without due consultations of relevant stakeholders, and surprising, the endorsement of the increase was very fiat, despite several appeals by relevant stakeholders and the people, but the same government drag-footed to arrive at a paltry N70,000 minimum wage”, Nwankodu said.
Noting the roles of the media in governance accountability and political promises of the leaders, GOMEP Nigeria questions the Nigeria government’s commitments to the pact with the people, derived from the manifestos, stating that the government seems to always be more interested in taking steps that contradicts its promises and hurts her people, insisting that government priorities should be for the overall well being of her people, instead of the other way.
“As a media body whose responsibility, among others is to hold the government accountable, it is shocking to know that the Nigeria government does not seem to prioritise the well being of her people, which were the pivots in their campaign promises, encapsulated in their manifestos. The consistent introduction of hardship measures by the government, with the recent reintroduction of the Highway Tolls bears credence to that, and negates and undermines the promises they made to the people. It’s like stating one thing and doing another. It has become more like a monthly affair to introduce new tariffs, because to them, the people are not complaining.
“We call on the government to always weigh the consequences of their policies on the people, whom they claim to be protecting. We also seek other options for the government such as cutting down on the cost of governance, and application of the saved revenue from the subsidy removal, including deployment of several billions of dollars borrowed so far, for road maintenance and other infrastructure development, because we cannot be running a bloated government and expect the already stretched populace to consistently bear the brunt, while government officials live in luxury.
“The government should halt any extortive policies that would further drain the little resources of the poor, and we are in solidarity with the labour unions”, Nwankodu maintained.
The reintroduction of tolling on the highways kicked off on the Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi Expressway on Tuesday, February 4, 2025.
The 227.2-kilometer road is among the nine expressways scheduled for tolling by the Federal Government.
It was rehabilitated through a Preferential Credit Loan from the China Exim Bank.
Other roads listed for tolling include the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Second Niger Bridge, Abuja-Kano Road and Makurdi-9th Mile Road.
The nine roads listed for concessions are under Phase I of the Highways Development and Management Initiative.
Works Minister David Umahi, who flagged off the tolling, said the toll order for the roads had been gazetted.
According to him, saloon cars will pay N500; sports utility vehicles/jeeps, N800; minibuses N1,000 and multi-axle (articulated) vehicles, N1,600.
Commercial light vehicles, as defined under the Federal Highway Act, will enjoy a 50 per cent discount.
The loan agreement provides that upon completion, the road would be tolled, operated and maintained by a privately run entity (concessionaire).
“The revenue collected from the operation (deducting the operation cost) shall be preferentially used for the loan repayment to the China EXIM Bank,” the contractual agreement states.
The minister said, “In the coming months, the Federal Government will continue with the launching and operationalisation of the remaining ones located across the six geo-political zones of the country.
“This initiative has opened a new chapter in the history of Nigeria as it gives the Federal Government the opportunity to overcome bad roads.
“Tolling operations is a pivotal step towards the realisation of our vision for a more efficient, sustainable and well-maintained road transport system for our beloved country.
“Today, we embark on a journey to ensure that our infrastructure is preserved for the benefit of present and future generations. The collection of tolls will generate much-needed revenue for the maintenance and expansion of our roads”, Umahi said.
