Abuja –  Dr Tunji Olaopa, Executive Vice- Chairman, Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy, has said that  the reintroduction of tollgates on highways can be used to address Nigeria’s current economic recession.

Olaopa expressed the view at a stakeholders’ forum in Abuja on Thursday on reducing the cost of governance.

His paper at the conference was entitled,  “ Using the Instrumentality of Public Private Partnership (PPP) for Reduction of Cost of Governance in Nigeria’’.

“Toll abolition in 2004 was too hasty, especially as the Road Fund designed to replace it for the maintenance of major highways in the country was not achieved in the absence of required enabling law.

“Nigeria has, therefore, lost the little revenue from tolling its highways that could have come handy in this period of recession.

“The effect can be seen in the success story of Lekki Road Concession and the impact on the economy of Lagos State and attendant improvement of standard of residents in that area of Lagos.

“It should be clear that tolling of highways is a revenue spinner,’’ Olaopa said.

He said that research had shown that private companies were  usually better than governments at building, operating and maintaining infrastructure in a cost effective and efficient manner.

Olaopa said when the private sector bore the risks of operations, maintenance and construction, project costs should  presumably be lower and should reduce costs to be borne by the government.

He advised that the system of Build-Transfer-Operate (BTO) could be used in building more refineries and move Nigeria more strongly on the diversification curve.

According to him, Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model is, however. not advised with the record of inefficiency of commercial operations of public enterprises.

“In this period of pipeline vandalism and destruction in the Niger Delta, BTO is advised,’’ Olaopa said.

Also, Sen. Olubunmi Adetunmbi, Chief Executive Officer, Development Associates Limited, said for diversification to happen, the country must return to development planning

Adetunmbi said in a paper, “ Diversification of the economy as a strategy for reduction of cost of governance’’, that diversification must involve good thinking to introduce   policies.