Insurgency: Truck drivers spend over N7bn yearly to deliver goods, services in Borno – Sheikh Yerwama

Truck drivers plying Maiduguri – Konduga – Bama – Banki Road, which is approximately 150km are said to be spending an estimated Seven Billion and Five Hundred Million Naira yearly on the deplorable roads burdened by constant attacks by Islamic State for West African Province, ISWAP fighters and members of the Jama’atul Ahalil Sunnah also known as JAS.

Sheikh Abdallah Yerwama, a Borno indigene who made the observation from his research on spending by the truck drivers said the Federal government can save the future of the Nigerian youths if it takes into consideration ways to secure the road and also generate revenue from them.

He said “If I were the Federal Government, I will rent out the entire highway to willing investors since I cannot invest, officially, put up levies to increase revenue instead of allowing the money to go into few hands of uniform and un-uniform men that are in charge of these roads on a daily basis.”

Taking a measurement and evaluation analysis of the amount of money spent on the road, he calculated the average mean per day to arrive at N250,000.00, each for 250 truck, translated to N62,500,000.00. Adding that, in x 10 days the result could be as much as N625,000,000.00 and in x 12 months getting to an estimation of about N7,500,000,000.00 (Seven Billion and Five Hundred Million Naira).

He said, “this is approximately what is being generated along that route alone. And if other routes are to be put together with the data available of what these truck drivers spend daily, Borno State can comfortably reduce burdens on other project seeking government attention where the resources are limited for the execution of such projects.”

Our Correspondent also spoke with some citizens who shared the same view as observed by Mr. Abdallah Yerwama looking at the statistical presentation of his argument on the need for government to look into this source of revenue generation for the state.

While speaking on the observation, Adamu Ibrahim an M&E Specialist in Borno said with the deplorable condition of the roads in Borno and the increasing insecurity on the road, the government maybe thinking differently but this is an opportunity for government to look into this observation and beginning to make sense of it to generate more revenue for the state.

“I believe there are investors who may be willing to invest their monies onto ventures like this. And this is not about the short term but looking at the long term plan. If these roads according to the observation and evaluation made can bring this amount of money on a year, I can tell you that this is good business.

“But the problem with our business men is that no one wants to take such risk and if any investor come now and begin to make money out of this, they will come with hammer on such investor especially if he is not an indigene or even if indigene there would be attacks from some quota by vested interest who wants to go into such businesses because it is succeeding.” He said.

Insurgency: Truck drivers spend over N7bn yearly to deliver goods, services in Borno – Sheikh Yerwama