By Mercy Aikoye
The House of Representatives has expressed concerns over the toll operations on the Abuja-Akwanga road, citing severe traffic congestion and hardship for Nigerians. According to Hon. Gaza Gbefwi, who sponsored a motion on the issue, the current operational modalities have turned what should be a relatively short journey into an agonizing ordeal.
A journey from Lafia to Abuja, which previously took approximately two hours and 30 minutes, now stretches to an unbearable five hours or more. This dramatic increase in travel time has significant negative impacts on commuters, businesses, and the overall economy.
Gbefwi noted that the situation is rapidly deteriorating and, if left unchecked, has the potential to escalate into a chaotic and anarchic situation. He argued that a good portion of the road has not been completed, and these areas of construction are constituting a death trap.
The lawmaker emphasized that the toll operations were intended to repay the $460.8 million loan obtained from the China Exim Bank for the road’s rehabilitation and upgrade. However, the current implementation has become a major source of hardship and frustration for Nigerians.
The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to immediately improve the operations framework of the Garaku and Abashon toll gates. This includes investigating the contract governing the toll gates and exploring alternative solutions to alleviate traffic congestion.
The House mandated the relevant committees to investigate the reasons for the persistent traffic congestion, the feasibility of alternative traffic management systems, and the uniformity of toll collection across the country.
As an interim measure, the House suggested considering a manual cash collection system to replace the current electronic toll collection systems, similar to the one used at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
The Federal Government had officially launched the toll operations on the Abuja-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi road corridor on February 4, 2025. The toll order fee schedule for the road includes N500 for saloon cars, N800 for SUVs and jeeps, and N1,000 for minibuses.
The House’s resolution aims to address the challenges faced by Nigerians due to the toll operations and ensure a smoother journey for commuters.
