By Kenneth Ehigiatorand Kingsley Adegboye
Inspite of the suspension of toll collection at Lekki toll plazas by Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, a group known as Lekki-Etiosa-Epe Estates, Indigenes  and Stakeholders’ Association, LEEEISA, has called on all residents, business owners and indigenes of Lekki, Eti-Osa and Epe axis to come out en masse today at 7a.m. for “a very peaceful but resolute warning march at Lekki Phase 1 Roundabout.”

Collection of tolls at the first plaza of the expanded l road constructed by Lekki Concession Company, LCC, was scheduled to begin this morning but the state government has  suspended the toll collection  to enable it dialogue further with all stakeholders who are against  tolling of the road.

The association, in a statement entitled No Tolling, No Fencing on the Existing Lekki-Epe Express Way, by its Chairman, Dr. Ausbeth Ajagu, acknowledged and appreciated the Governor’s decision to suspend the toll collection.

Fashola “for suspending the planned collection of toll as from January 3, 2011 due to our sustained representations so far, but we are quick to say that the suspension falls short of our expectation and hereby demand total cancellation of tolling on the road.”

The group, comprising  74 estates  and 38 local communities, are demanding immediate dialogue between the government and its leadership to resolve the issues amicably, stating that “it is the responsibility of government to provide infrastructure for the people, especially roads. Lagos State Government provided LCC with 42m US Dollars which is N6.3bn of tax payers’ money with which LCC jump started the road expansion.  Why paying toll when our money is being spent on our road?”

They also alleged that Lagos government provided lands with which the loans obtained for the road construction are secured. According to the group, “fences are killing businesses and increasing unemployment. For instance, Total filling station by Palms shopping complex and Palms shopping complex tenants). Villages, towns and entire communities are to be locked in perpetuity. The estimated cost for a family comes to N54,000 per month and N648,000 per annum. This will certainly strangulate some families and deny some children capacity to go to their schools.”

They said contrary to general belief; only 23.5 Km of the road is to be expanded with three toll plazas in the first phase, though there are plans to erect more toll plazas in the near future as the expansion continues towards Epe. “The people and residents of this area who provide the bulk of the internal generated revenue to the state government are seemingly neglected by the government and we have all been using our own resources to provide infrastructure”.

The alternative road available to commuters, they contended “will make commuting more difficult than the original road which is being taken away. This will negate the essence of government which is to improve the quality of life.”

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant in Lagos State, Engineer Olatokunbo Kamson at the weekend described as criminal, the proposed payment of N200 on the Lekki_Epe Expressway by motorists per toll, even as he promised that the PDP will scrap the tariff  if it wins this year’s election in the state.

Kamson, in a statement said that the tolling cannot be justified as the amount being proposed is among the highest anywhere in the world.

Berating the Lagos State government for not providing alternatives for people who may not have the huge amount required to ply the road on daily basis, Kamson said that a PDP government in the state will enter into an agreement with the contractor handling the project with the sole purpose of paying him off.

He said: “They propose to charge N200 for one toll and there are three tollgates for people living around VGC, Ajah and the environs.

“That means anybody working in Victoria Island and living in Ajah would have to be paying N600 toll per trip. That is N1, 200 per day.

“That is criminal, having regard to the fact that the road initially was constructed with tax payers’ money. What is being done there is only an expansion.

“Again, it is the standard internationally that people must be given alternatives. If you want to build a road that you are going to toll, then you must provide an alternative for people to ply; people who don’t have the money.

So is it wrong for government to insist on tolling that road without providing alternative for people who cannot afford the cost.

“Besides, the road is not even completed. So, it means that they are going to use the people’s money to complete the road and also tax them. It is not fair.

“Again, if you look all over the world, where have you paid more than 25 cent? I have plied so many roads in the US that are tolled. Minimum is 25 cent. And how much is 25 cent? Is it up to N100? Why are they proposing to charge N200? That is more than a dollar.”

According to him, it is alarming that government would not consider the welfare of the people before deciding to impose the tariff.

“The major cost in road construction is the initial cost because of the earthwork and all the other things associated with new road.

“To us, we feel that it is not fair on the people of Lagos State living in that corridor for government to want to charge N1, 200 per day per person. We want to appeal to the people along the corridor that when our administration comes into office; we are going to cancel tolling on the road. It is unjustifiable and immoral for anybody to want to impose that level of tariff on the people.