Protesters have blocked the Lekki-Epe Expressway causing a traffic snarl on the road. The protesters bearing placards with slogans such as “No Tolling, no fencing” are against the toll gate on the road. The protest is taking place in front of Ecobank, GTBank and 1st Bank just beside Chevron roundabout and it has left workers heading from Ajah to Victoria Island stuck.
At about 5.30pm On the Major toll gate opposite ikoyi and beside shoprite An Okada man was mercilessly beaten by about 9 policemen .They blocked the acces road for Okada for ten minutes whilst they set upon the hapless fellow who bravely stood his ground while he was being kicked and beaten . The last that was seen by this reporter was the murmur of okada men about a hundred of them who suddenly the policemen realised were getting restless opened the toll gate and all they could do was leave their colleague as they had passengers who in the strong grip of his captors was putting up a brave front while the Policemen continued slapping and kicking him .It is unknown what happened to the poor fellow
Previosuly:
‘Halt toll plan or face mass action’
Tension is building once again between residents of the Lekki community and Lekki Concession Company (LCC), the firm handling the reconstruction of the expressway, over the plan to begin the collection of toll on the road.
As a way of sensitising the residents and motorists to the plan, some representatives of the company on Wednesday began the distribution of leaflets at one of the three toll gates. Titled Toll Road Leaflet Guide, the flyer contains details about the project; the key benefits, convenience services, price incentives, vehicle classification, user types, payment methods, customer account management, and the designated banks for payment, among other information. However, it has no indication of the toll rate.
Howver, at a press conference held Thursday, by some members of the Eti-Osa community to convey their grievances on the company’s latest move, it was resolved that if the plan is not halted, the company would be forced to do so. According to them, at a meeting with Babatunde Fashola on July 20, in which more than 20 obas and chiefs from the community, state officials and the commissioner of police, were in attendance, it was resolved that a committees would be inaugurated to settle the issue of tolling at the three toll points. It was, therefore, a surprise to see leaflets on the toll issue being distributed.
“This is reckless, arrogant and provocative, and we wonder who else LCC will respect or listen to if it can afford to ignore the governor and the House. LCC is part of the committee just as it has been invited by the house committee in order to assist its finding. so why the test run?” said Adewale Sanni, the convener of the Eti-Osa forum and spokesperson at the conference.
Among other demands they also sought to know “whose interest is the project, infrastructure development or economic gains?” adding that the current exercise under the guise of a test-run is a desperate attempt to commence tolling at all cost in order to foreclose or render useless the outcome of the committee set up to look into the disagreement on the issue.
Bone of contention
Part of the information on the leaflet shows that the coastal road which is supposed to serve as an alternative for those who cannot afford to pay the toll fees will now be tolled, and this is the major grouse of the residents. “They have decided to keep all of us in secret; why are they not telling the price? They are just enjoying all of this,” said James Esosa, a resident. “Now, they are sharing leaflets, for what? This whole thing is rubbish. They feel everybody in Lekki is rich; they should have gone to set this toll nonsense in other places. Now, let’s see how they would react.”
Another resident, who asked not to be named, equally expressed dismay at the development. “They haven’t said anything that will let us know about the price; that is what I came here to ask,” she said. “Maybe they are afraid of public reaction. It is going to inconvenience people, because to pay from here to there is not fair. The access road that is supposed to be an alternative, you will also have to pay toll, so what are the options? The one you have now is at Oniru side and around Jakande to come in and out of Lekki. But the roads are very bad, and I wouldn’t want to spoil my car. For those who cannot afford to mess up their car will have to be forced to pay the toll and I would prefer to travel on a straight road. I just think it’s not fair.”
Residents like Betrus Ibrahim, a commercial motorcyclist, are considering relocating if the situation is not changed. “They never put the price, na the thing wey dey confuse us,” he said. “If they start it, how person go do? If the price high, I go live this place go find somewhere wey I go do my Okada.” Another motorist, a danfo (bus) driver who lives in Aja said, “Nigeria no get the money wey they go help Lagos do this thing free? If say they be better people, they for done do this thing well. They are greedy, all of them wey dey government; dey chop money anyhow.”
What will happen when the LCC finally decides to effect its plan remains to be seen.
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