FG says collecting revenues on federal highways illegal

By Ukpono Ukpong, Abuja

The Ministry of Transportation has frowned at the collection of revenues on federal highways by state and local government agents describing it as illegal.

The Head of Press Unit, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Abuja, Mr. Mohammad Idris, stated this yesterday in Aba, while reacting to road blocks mounted in Abia state by staff of the State’s Passenger Integrated Manifest Scheme (ASPIMS) for revenue collection.

Disturbed about the non-free flow of traffic on the affected roads as well as the travellers from other states passing through the state, Idris called on security agencies to clear federal highways of such revenue collectors who use the highways as revenue collection ground.

“The police and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) should not allow these agents to block the highways. This is because their operations on the highways are illegal and obstruct the movement of travellers across the country.

“The former inspector general of police told them that the action was wrong, illegal and so he banned it, but unfortunately, some states still do that. But, it is wrong. They have been told not to operate on the highways. Nobody, has the right to block the highway except in emergency situations by security agencies,” Idris said.