The National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) has called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency set up the Road Development Fund to fix up the nation’s road networks which is in complete state of disrepair.
The Executive Secretary of NARTO, Mr. Aloga Ogbogo who made this observation while exchanging views with newsmen in Lagos said that even if the whole federal government’s budget for a year was put together for the purpose of repairing the nation’s roads, it would not be enough to repair the roads
While contending that setting up a special road fund which deductions would be made and sent to a special account to be managed by the private sector was the way the nation’s road could get going, he also believed that concessioning of the roads would also help a great deal in fixing and taking care of the roads.
“Some of us before now have said put the whole budget of Nigeria together, it will not be enough to repair our roads. We have been advocates of concession out the roads, set aside the Road Development Fund. That is a way of saying that for every litre of fuel you buy or for every cargo that comes into the country, set aside a special road fund which deductions will be made, send to a special account and that account will be managed by the private sector and then that is how you can get the roads going.
“Even from the budget of the federal government, before it passes through all the legislative processes, rains are around the corner and there is no way you can do a good road in the rainy season. These are technical issues.
“Federal Government has trunk A roads about 36,000 kilometres of trunk A roads in this country and 50% of the 36,000 kilometres of trunk A roads are in a state of complete disrepair. Look at Jebba-Mokwa road; you know what it is like. So, how will you be talking of a good truck considering the fact that the trucks that come to Lagos to do business come from all over the country and even the port access roads, what is it like?”, he queried.
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