The Federal Government’s desire to re-introduce tolls on major highways in the country may not materialize in 2012, especially, going by recent understanding between the Ministry of Works and the Senate.

This is even as the ministry and the committee have agreed that the process for the design of the second Niger Bridge will commence in the next fiscal year with the introduction of a rail track in the middle of the bridge.

Chairman of Senate Committee on Works, Senator Ayogu Eze, made this known in an interview with Saturday Vanguard in Abuja yesterday.

Eze said that while both agreed that toll gates should return as part of the comprehensive package for reforms in the public works sector, however, the Senate has insisted that for it to take off, alternative routes called secondary roads would be provided for those unable to afford the tolled highways.

’’The issue of re-introducing toll gates is not just a single item. It is part of the holistic package of reform in the road sector. It will include our views on concessions, private partnership, getting a road fund and creating a federal Highway authority within the ministry.

”Actually toll gates are necessary to come back but they would not just come back until all our roads are cleaned and spruced up and made motor-able.

’’Two, until we create secondary arteries so that those who do not have the resources, the capacity and the inclination to pay tolls by taking federal highways will go through that and arrive at their destinations.

,’’ It is not feasible for the return of toll gates until the conditions already agreed on with ministry are fulfilled.

” If we are able to finish all these things by next year, the tolls come, but if we are not able to finish it, of course, tolls will not come,” he said.

Asked if he was speaking for the National Assembly alone, Eze said “ we are talking together. The vision of the Senate coincides with the vision of the ministry. And I believe that we are on this page on this.’’

On the second Niger bridge which has become controversial for some time now, the Senator denied insinuations that the ministry has abandoned the project altogether, saying the final arrangement for the commencement of a new design for the bridge has been concluded.

He said the International Finance Consortium, IFC, the private sector arm of the World bank had already committed itself to some funding on the project saying that what is delaying the commencement is the long design period submitted by those bidding for the job.

”The process will commence in 2012. I can assure you. Just two days ago, the IFC was here and was discussing with the ministry. They are ready to bring some level of funding to start the study. What is delaying the take off is that a lot of proposals are coming in and it will take a minimum of 30 to 50 months for the design to be completed.

’’They are looking for people who can complete the design faster and ensure that the actual construction commences.

’’The new idea is that it will also carry a rail track in the middle. It will connect the railway running up to the north and the one running from Port Harcourt up to the North, through the South East.

You know the South Eat was cut off in the railway master plan that was done in the past. This one will carry a rail track so that the SE will not be completely cut off; that is also part of the design.” he concluded.

Good approach by the committee, but has to be implemented and not end on the pages of the national daily