The planned reintroduction of toll plazas on highways across the country has been described as one of those projects created to enrich friends of the government.

Civic rights activist and coordinator of Civic Duties Awareness Initiative (CIDAI), Mr. Emmanuel Ulayi, who stated this in a chat with LEADERSHIP WEEKEND, also stated that the minister of works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, who announced the development, must have been misinformed on the toll plaza project and urged him to rescind the decision.

Onolememen on Thursday announced that the federal government would reintroduce the toll plazas to garner funds for the regular rehabilitation of the highways. The minister added that the abrogation of the plazas in 2004 was a disservice to the country as the government alone could not maintain the roads.

Ulayi however said that the former toll plazas were dismantled because the purpose was defeated. According to him, instead of the tolls generating money for the maintenance of the roads, the toll plazas became a conduit-pipe through which the handlers of the projects enriched themselves.

Ulayi averred that those ugly conditions had not changed pointing out that the toll plazas would continue to be avenue for friends of the government to enrich themselves. “The reintroduction of the toll plazas is not a very good decision. When former President Obasanjo dismantled it the first time it was introduced, it was because of the sharp practices which the handlers perpetrated. There is no assurance that this project would not experience the same problem of the former toll plazas,” Ulayi said.

Sen. Sahabi Ya’u, representing Zamfara North Senatorial District, told newsmen on Wednesday in Kaura-namoda, headquarters of the local government area that the work was expected to commence next week.

Ya`u said that the project would enhance the availability of potable water to the people of the town and nearby communities.

He said the project was in line with the government’s effort toward curtailing the outbreak of water-borne diseases.

The Senator said he had constructed a number of boreholes in his constituency to complement government’s effort.

He said that the construction of the Gusau-Kaura-namoda-Jibiya road would be completed in 2011.

Ya’u commended the Federal Government for executing numerous projects that have direct impact on poor people nationwide.

He also urged state governments to initiate programmes aimed at reducing poverty and providing employment to the youths.

(NAN)

Okada commercial bikers

The Plateau Police Command said on Wednesday in Jos that it had been fair to all in the implementation of the state government’s ban on commercial motorcyclists.

“We are doing everything possible to maintain law and order, and shall remain undeterred in our quest for lasting peace in Plateau,” the command said in a statement signed by its Commissioner, Mr Ikechukwu Aduba.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the command was reacting to a recent complaint of extra-judicial killings levelled against the force by the muslim community in Jos.

In the complaint addressed to the police commissioner and copied to senior government officials and the inspector-general of police, the community also alleged that the Jos Central Mosque was attacked by mobile policemen.

But Aduba, in the statement, dismissed suggestions that the State Management Task Force enforcing the ban was targeting Muslim institutions and settlements.

“It is most unfortunate that any incident that crops in Plateau is given some religious coloration just to whip up sentiments,” he said.

According to him, the police are just an arm of the task force created under the recently passed prohibition law banning commercial motorcyclists within the greater Jos master plan.

Aduba recalled that the task force, which began implementing the law on June 7, concentrated on areas that were not dominated by Muslims to avoid such misinterpretations.

“We started the enforcement in areas such as Ahmadu Bello Way, Tafawa Balewa way, British-American Junction, Tudun Wada, Bukuru and Gada Biyu.

“We have yet to commence operation in areas like Angwan Rogo, Nasarawa Gwom, Bauchi Road, Kona Shagari, Congo Russia and Dutse Uku where Muslims are dominant,” he explained.

Aduba said it was “regrettable” that the enforcement of the law by the security agents met stiff resistance by the motorcycle operators, while hoodlums cashed in on that to embark on “wanton destruction” of lives and property.

“In the course of such destructive attitude, spirited attempts were made with `petrol bottled home-made bombs’ and other offensive weapons to set ablaze the palace of the Gbong-Gwom Jos, the old Jos North Local Government Secretariat and the Jos Health Centre.”

Also targeted and torched by the hoodlums, he said, were the exhibit room of the `C’ Division of the Nigeria Police Force, Jos and the Good News ECWA Church at Terminus.

“These are institutions whose structures and tenets are completely at variance and have nothing to do with the prohibition law,” he pointed out.

According to the commissioner, the police, at a point, found themselves in a desperate situation with lives and property no longer secure and had to defend themselves against the rampaging youngsters.

“In fact, in the course of these onslaughts, a police corporal was killed, while four members of the task force suffered several degrees of injuries.”

To restore normalcy, Aduba said the police force had held several meetings with the Jama’atul Nasril Islam organisation and other Muslim officials to reassure them of police neutrality in the entire episode.

“On their own part, the Muslim leaders have assured us of the willingness to caution the rampaging youth to sheath their swords and this has brought about the truce that now exists.”

The commissioner said it was “most unfair” to accuse the police of any wrongdoing as the force had remained in the vanguard of the peace process in Plateau.

“In the course of the passage of the prohibition law, for instance, the police strongly advocated for palliative measures to be put in place to cushion the effect.

“We also suggested that the disengaged riders (motorcyclists) be engaged in some meaningful employment,” he said.

Aduba promised that the police would not shirk their role of protecting lives and property, and advised the motorcyclists to come to terms with the ban and toe the path of dialogue and due process in addressing their grievances.

The commissioner also advised leaders in Plateau to teach their followers the importance of peaceful co-existence and the need to eschew all forms of deep distrust, suspicion and rumour mongering.

(NAN)

National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF)

The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) says it will address the problems of alleged harassment by government
agencies and incessant increase in port charges.

Mr Jude Maduka, the Chairman, Tin Can Island Chapter of NAGAFF, said this on Wednesday in Lagos in his acceptance speech while taking over from Chief Uche Nwabude, the former Interim Chairman.

According to Maduka, our industry is bedeviled by various problems such as harassment by government agencies and incessant
increase in port charges.

“We are not going to be physical in our approach to these problems but we are going to fight the problems by deploying our advocacy
weapon which the association is known for,’’ he said.

Maduka said that was the only way to emancipate freight forwarders from the shackles of the problems hindering their operations.

He said his administration would work hard to make the association vibrant to complement achievements of past administrations.

In his comments, Nwabude said he was happy that elected leaders had finally been installed and lauded Dr Boniface Aniebonam, founder
of the association, for his vision.

Mr Godson Chukwu, the Association’s Public Relations Officer, expressed optimism that the new executives would stick to the mandate of the association and asked them to show enough commitment.

(NAN)

Apapa-Oshodi Expressway

Lagos State Ministry of Transport on Tuesday warned tanker drivers against indiscriminate parking capable of impeding free flow of traffic along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway.

The Commissioner of Transport, Prof. Bamidele Badejo, gave the warning when he visited the terminus of MRS Investment Company Ltd., Isolo.

He said that it had been noticed that the drivers indiscriminately parked their trucks outside the terminus, causing traffic jam.

“We do not have problem with whatever is going on in their terminus, but our concern is the spill-over that parking on the road causes to other road users.

“We are concerned about the challenges you are facing, hence our visit to educate, enlighten and give you a new orientation about the government policy,” Badejo said.

The Commissioner noted that lack of illumination at the terminus had turned the area into a black spot.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the terminus has capacity for 300 trucks, with a projected expansion to accommodate 500 others.

Badejo advised the drivers to patronise other terminals, instead of blocking the highways.

The Executive Officer of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr. Young Arebanme, urged the management of MRS to take strict control of its drivers.

Arebanme advised the company to send its drivers to the Lagos State Drivers Institute for proper training.

The Chief Security Officer of MRS, Mr. Yama Builama, expressed the company’s readiness to support the government in its efforts at curtailing the nuisance of drivers.

(NAN)