Residents of Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the state and its environs have kicked against the resumption of toll collection on the Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge.
This was coming barely 48 hours to the planned resumption of the toll collection.
The residents argued that the economic challenges across Nigeria would make such payment difficult for motorists in Lagos State.
They claimed that the timing for the resumption of the toll collection was inappropriate and that the Lekki Concession Company Limited, operators of the Toll Plaza, should abandon the move until when the economy has rebounded and residents could easily afford to pay the fee.
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The residents, under the umbrella, Lekki Estates Residents and Stakeholders Association (LERSA), kicked against the move, on Wednesday, during a stakeholders’ meeting organised by LCC, to engage key stakeholders the new developments may affect.
During the meeting, the residents maintained that they had decided to go against the reopening of the Lekki Toll Gate.
Some of the residents present at the meeting included son of legal luminary, Mr. Femi Falana SAN, Mr. Folarin Falana popularly called Falz, Olubankole Wellington also known as Banky W, the Executive Director of Enough is Enough, Yemi Adamolekun, and a Lagos-based lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi, and many others.
Speaking after the meeting, Comedian and human rights activist, Debo Adedayo, otherwise called ‘Mr. Macaroni’, said that he and other residents who would be affected by the LCC decision had decided to stand against the move.
Mr. Macaroni stressed that not one of the residents at the meeting threw his weight behind the LCC to resume toll collection and that they have resolved to challenge it.
In a terse statement made public through his official social media handle, the skit maker wrote: “We are live at the LCC and stakeholders Meeting. The Lekki Estate Residents and Stakeholders Association Chairman has announced the decision of all Residents which is NO TO TOLLING!”.
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“All of us present here have spoken! And not one resident is in support of tolling. The timing is wrong, The people are going through a lot of hardship at the moment! We hope the Lagos state government will do the right thing here and suspend the resumption of Tolling. Nooooo”, he added.
Another resident, Morris Monye, who was present at the meeting, stated that the reasons tendered by LCC were not in concord with the economic reality across the country.
Monye, in a statement made on his official Twitter handle, hinted that another protest could occur beginning next month if the government and LCC decided to embark on the move.
According to him, “The excuses these Lagos State representatives are giving us simply ludicrous. The reason is that “Ikoyi residents are complaining” and to “take load off the bridge. In conclusion, everyone here is very very upset about the tolling. Banky W almost cried while speaking and asked Nigerians to get their Permanent Voter Card (PVC) to get rid of these people in government”.
Earlier, the Lagos State Government revealed that the LCC plan to return to official tolling after the EndSARS demonstration was irreversible, stating that the company owes local and foreign investors, and needs to fulfil its obligations as a debtor.
It said that LCC is to pay local lenders N61.1 million and foreign lenders $31.1 million and that it has a wage commitment to about 500 staff that had been out of work for over 18 months, after the demonstration at the bridge.
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, pleaded with motorists and residents to show some understanding over the planned re-opening of Lekki-Ikoyi Toll Gate.
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His words: “The re-opening will go ahead as recently announced by the Lekki Concession Company and toll will not be collected for the first two weeks to test run the new technology being installed there. This is to ensure people have a better way of paying at the toll gate.
“It is also economically unrealistic and investment unfriendly for the Toll Plaza to remain shut forever as the Company has financial obligations to discharge to its creditors while its staff, about five hundred in number, also need to get back to work and earn their livelihood.
“The restoration of operations by LCCI follows extensive engagement with stakeholders, such as the residents association, traditional rulers, transport union and others, all of whom the State truly appreciates.”
Speaking further, the Commissioner said LCC is a major partner in the development of infrastructure on the Victoria Island-Lekki-Ikoyi-Ajah corridor and this has been variously expressed in the reconfiguration of the first, second, and Ajah roundabouts to ease traffic as well as responding to security challenges to foster a safe and secure atmosphere for living and doing business.