The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps Dr Boboye Oyeyemi on Wednesday made a strong case for return of toll plazas across the country.

He said it is only by having such in place can the country get funds to ensure the maintenance of all road infrastructures in the country.

Oyeyemi, who averred the nation’s major bane had always been policy summersault, said the suspension of the plaza had led to collapse of the road infrastructure and the attendant malady being witnessed in the transportation sub-sector of the economy.

He said the return of the toll plazas will bring with it, a return of weigh bridges and a determined attempt to ensure that all vehicles especially articulated ones, plying the nation’s roads conform with approved global standards.

Oyeyemi hinted that toll plaza and weigh bridges has been integrated and would be introduced on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, currently undergoing rehabilitation.

He spoke at the maiden edition of the Distinguished Lecture Series, of the School of Transportation, Lagos State University (LASU), where he delivered a paper on: Transportation and Road Safety Management: Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria.

He also canvassed the outright ban of commercial motorcycles popularly called okada and advocated instead, a robust inter-modal transportation system by all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to provide easy, comfortable high capacity buses and intermodal transportation alternatives for Nigerians.

According to him:“Okada has no role to play in the transportation system in the country and if I had my way, they should be banned outright nationwide for their lawlessness, recklessness and dangers they constitute to safety on our roads. Rather than continue to patronize Okada, let all the states in the country provide high capacity buses to move people on the first and last mile travels.”

Likening transportation to a human circulatory system, Oyeyemi said pressure has increasingly been put on the road as a result of increased demand due to population growth, inadequacy of existing infrastructure and total lack of discipline by road users.

Oyeyemi, who singled out Lagos as a typical state experiencing traffic nightmare, said with no likelihood of expansion of its road infrastructure network, the only alternative left to Lagos remains the development of intermodal transportation system, that would optimize other transportation modes such as air, water, rail, and pipeline transportation if it intends to experience any relief on the road.

“Pressure is so much on the road until we solve intermodal system we can not fully resolve the gridlock we experience in Lagos and other urban centres in the country,” the Corps Marshal said.

Addressing the theme of the lecture, Oyeyemi said as the lead road safety agency, the FRSC have continued to provide leadership and to ensure that the nation achieve road safety management within the ambit of the SDGs.

According to him, despite daunting challenges, the FRSC has recorded modest achievements over the years in road traffic administration and safety management.

"Exciting news! TheNigeriaLawyer is now on WhatsApp Channels 🚀 Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest legal insights!" Click here! ....................................................................................................................... Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material and other digital content on this website, in whole or in part, without express and written permission from TheNigeriaLawyer, is strictly prohibited _________________________________________________________________ [Register Now] ILA Nigeria Branch Marks 10 Years With Infrastructure Financing As Theme For 7th Annual Conference The International Law Association - Nigeria Branch 7th annual conference on public-private partnerships for sustainable infrastructure financing, April 4-5 in Abuja. Details: https://ilanigeria.org.ng/conference _________________________________________________________________

NIALS' Compendia Series: Your One-Stop Solution For Navigating Nigerian Laws (2004-2023)

Email: info@nials.edu.ng, tugomak@yahoo.co.uk, Contact: For Inquiry and information, kindly contact, NIALS Director of Marketing: +2348074128732, +2348100363602.