TheCable

Hakeem Bello, special adviser on communications to Babatunde Fashola, minister of works and housing, says there has been no policy statement on the reintroduction of toll gates across the country.

After the federal executive council meeting on Wednesday, Fashola had told state house correspondents that there were plans to reintroduce toll gates which former President Olusegun Obasanjo scrapped in 2004.

This had generated different reactions, with some critics accusing the federal government of being insensitive.

But speaking with PUNCH, Bello said Fashola did not make any policy statement to suggest that the reintroduction will take place soon.

“Look, why the so much excitement over nothing? The minister never made a policy statement. If the government wants to make a major policy like that, there will be explanations, press conferences, briefings and all of that,” he said.

“It was during the course of the press briefing  that someone asked about tolling and the minister responded by saying that there was no law against tolling. So why would people hold this high as if tolling is starting tomorrow?

“Of course, that cannot be a policy statement for one to say tolling is coming tomorrow or very soon. He (Fashola) didn’t make a policy statement on when there will be toll gates on our roads.”

In 2017, Fashola had said the federal government had concluded the plan to reintroduce toll gates at 38 points on various highways across the country.

A year before then, the senate had passed a motion seeking to restore toll gates on all federal roads.