Nigeria Content Online

But for the
intervention of the Lagos State government, the third day of January
2011 was going to be historic, at least for residents of Lekki, Ajah
area. The day would have marked the commencement of the much contended
tolling on the Eti-Osa-Lekki Road. Or, put bluntly, the day would have
been chaotic, marred by protests by residents who are vehemently
opposed to the tolling.

With the suspension
of the tolling which was ordered on Wednesday by the state governor,
Babatunde Fashola, the drama continues with no end in sight.

Many residents of
the area say they will not pay any toll on the road which is currently
being reconstructed by the Lekki Concession Company, LCC, while
government insists that the project will go on according to the Public
Private Partnership agreement with LCC collecting toll from three
plazas on the reconstructed road for the 30-year period of the
concession.

According to the
announcement on LCC’s website, the road expansion/reconstruction has
gone beyond the Road Section 1, informing their decision to commence
tolling at the first Toll Plaza, also known as Admiralty Circle Plaza.
The announcement also stated that the decision is in line with the
terms of the Concession Mandate granted to LCC by the Lagos State
government.

However, Opuiyo
Oforiokuma, managing director/CEO of LCC, said the concession agreement
contemplated the present kind of situation.

“We believe that
Lagos State government’s statement about the suspension of tolling is
clear. We also believe that government remains committed to
infrastructure development in the state, leveraging private sector
resources.

“Project
implementation plans sometimes require adjustment. Our Concession
Agreement contemplates situations such as this and contains provisions
for dealing with them. Be assured of our best wishes for the New Year,”
he said.

The people want an end to it

Whereas the suspension has stalled a possible immediate uproar, many residents see it as postponing the evil day.

Sani Adewale, the
president of Eti-Osa Heritage Group and the Convener of the
Stakeholders Forum on Lekki-Epe Road Expansion, said there is no cause
for excitement.

“We are not excited
at all, given that the issue is still hanging there. They have been
postponing the issue. They postponed it in May. They postponed it in
August. They should be courageous enough to face it or cancel it
completely. There is a moral burden on the project. It’s a rip-off on
the people. If not, how can you explain N150 for a car at one toll
point. The concessionaire is not a partner for social development.

“I think government
made a mistake in the choice of concessionaire, because those LCC guys
are just businessmen; they are just after the money.

“You can imagine
for someone who goes to and fro through one toll plaza will be spending
N106,000 per annum. What if the household has up to three cars and they
have to pass all the three toll plazas? That means they will be
spending millions per annum on the road. We know they are just waiting
for the elections to come and go, then they will unleash the economic
terror on us,” he said.

Another resident of
Eti-Osa, Andrew Oretan, said they are not satisfied with a suspension
of the tolling. What they want is cancellation.

“The language is
suspension, not cancellation. What we want is for government to cancel
the whole thing. We cannot pay toll on a road that we have been using
for 29 years; a road the government gave to us as four lanes and
somebody is coming to add two lanes and is asking us to pay toll for 30
years.

“We are tax payers;
we pay a lot of levies in Eti-Osa, land use charge. What we want now is
for them to give final decision on this. We understand their antics.
They are just buying time, maybe after elections they bring the toll
thing back,” Mr. Oretan said.

Protest to continue

According to Mr.
Oretan, members of Eti-Osa communities will continue their protest, in
spite of the suspension, to maintain their “no-toll” stance.

According to a press statement signed by Ayo Gbeleyi, the director
general of the State Public-Private Partnership, the suspension became
expedient after public outcry concerning the toll and to allow for more
consultation on the issue. The statement added that the time will also
allow for the completion of the alternative routes by the government.