The Federal Government says it would implement the cashless tolling system for the Abuja-Keffi expressway.

Senator David Umahi, the Minister of Works, disclosed this on Thursday while inaugurating a committee for the project, as well as the dualization of the Keffi-Akwanga-Makurdi Road.

He said the cashless tolling system was a strategic programme under the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI) aimed at promoting a strong and sustainable transportation ecosystem.

“This is one of the cardinal strategies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu towards realising the desires of our people in the road sector development,” Umahi said.

“Recall that a point of Keffi-Akwanga-Makurdi was done on EPC + F, and funded up to 85% by China Exim Bank, and the federal government paid 15% counterpart funding and the job was executed satisfactorily by China Harbour Ltd.

“Part of the agreement is that they will toll the road and then recoup the money for the federal government to pay back the loan segment of the project.”

The minister commended President Tinubu for the vast strategic economic recovery initiatives of the Renewed Hope administration, and expressed hope that the committee will leverage on ideals of the Terms of Reference handed to them to develop a robust implementation masterplan.

He charged the committee with the terms of reference which, among other things, are to develop the cashless tolling system implementation framework, make appropriate recommendations on the potential of relief stations and good physical environment along the corridors, and proffer practical solutions to the challenges of implementing cashless toll collection in the Nigerian environment.

Umahi stated, “We must also, as part of the assignment, develop relief stations. Relief stations are what you see in overseas’ expressways, where you have a lot of stations where you have a supermarket, you have a small clinic, you have also security outfits, and a number of other facilities, including parks, wheel lorries, and vehicles park, and tow vans.

“The idea of Mr President is that we should have a maximum of 10 minutes of response time on our highways, meaning that in the full development of this route, part of the assignment will be how we can install CCTV cameras, and also have solar light all through the entire route of the project.

“And so, we will be able to put security on our roads, and then we have a station at the relief centre, where they will stay and watch the vehicles, so that within 10 minutes of any incident along the route, the security people will be able to be there – within 10 minutes response time. This is the idea of Mr. President, and for our major highways.”