Since the Senate has decided to punish us for the deplorable state of Federal roads across the nation by billing us for the repairs, maintenance and even construction of new ones via tolls, let us start preparing for the ripple effects of this ‘Reintroduction of Toll Gates on our Federal Highways’.

Here 5 things that will happen once the toll gates are brought:

1. Rise in cost of food

Think of it this way: So rice has been driving us nuts in Nigeria mainly because of the additional costs of importation. Well guess what; the few food produce that are homegrown are not grown everywhere around the country. Most fruits are grown in the North, tomatoes and many other vegetables too. Cassava, yams, millets and almost every other food produce are grown in remote villages and then transported to the cities. The keyword being: transported. The transporters will not shoulder the burden of the tolls alone. They’ll in turn raise their prices and as such food will become more expensive.

2. Food scarcity

Because what else? When most of the populace can no longer afford to buy food because their prices have gone up. Or worst still, the food transporters choose not to transport the food.

3. The most creatively lacking plans for setting this in motion

Ordinarily, what you expect is that the Senate would concern themselves with seeking out the best ways to ensure that all federal highways are completed to standard before seeking out the means of maintaining these roads. But such is our dilemma in this country – legislators who are either too wicked to care or worst still, completely clueless old people.

Now that we know it is their way to put carts before horses, you can expect them to start calling for the recruitment of toll workers before figuring out how to build the toll gates.

4. Further waste of resources

Because our toll gates will need to compete with the best in the world. Be tourist attractions even. Better tourist attractions than all the abandoned game reserves.

5. More traffic

Have you not seen the first toll gate on the Admiralty Circle Plaza (first toll gate on the Lekki-Epe expressway) toll gate on any day?

Toll gates are to traffic jams what honey is to bees.