LEKKI-EPE WAY TOLLING: THE BIG FRAUD

I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.
--- Charles De Gaulle (1890 - 1970)

The people of Eti-Osa especially those that live around the Lekki-Epe way are finding out the hard way what Charles De Gaulle found out several years ago that politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians. When the whole idea of expanding the Lekki-Epe way, most people believed it was just another democracy dividend, the reward of having Action Congress (believed to be the modern day Awosits) in power especially given the woeful performance of the PDP Governors across several states. Many people including myself did not bother to find out the terms of the expansion especially since it was proposed as a public private partnership (a relatively new concept in this clime). Many people found out very late that and understandably so that the existing road will be expanded and tolled and shockingly at three different points in a residential area and within the same local government and a distance of less than 24km between first and third toll points (This must be a first in the world).
A lot of things have been written and said about this road expansion but I will only concern myself with reasons why this project must be considered for what it is exactly – a monumental fraud - and why citizens must rise up to ensure that tolling is not successfully done.

Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.
--- Aldous Huxley (1894 - 1963), "Proper Studies", 1927

There are several facts about this Lekki road expansion that many people are not aware of or even seem to ignore out rightly.

1. Even though the road has been concessioned, the Lagos state government (LASG) has actually committed N5 billion ($42 million) of tax payers to the project and this facts sits pretty on the website of Standard bank and Mr. Fashola said that much in one of his investor road shows in the city of Dubai.

http://corporateandinvestment.standardbank.co.za/sa/news_centre/news_centre.jsp?from=recent&mediaid=313

http://www.lagosstate.gov.ng/index.php?page=speechdetail&spid=324&mnu=governor

2. The Lekki-Epe way is about the only visible sign of government presence in the area which is dominated by private sector investment in roads, schools, hospitals, provision of water etc.
3. There are many residents of this area who pay over N3 million in income tax alone year and are being denied the very minimum of having a free road to their house.
4. Contrary to the expectations of most people, the road will only be expanded for a distance of less than 25 Km. The concessionaire (LCC) is only required to provide median for the remaining 24 km which really defeats the notion that the road is being done to prepare for the expected Megacity traffic from the Lekki Free trade zone.
5. LCC has a non-competing clause agreement which essentially means that LASG cannot provide an alternative means of transport (water or rail) for the people of Eti-Osa save the Coastal Road for the next 30 years even though they are supposed to pay their tax dutifully.
6. The Lekki road is being constructed by an incompetent contractor (Hitech) and has spent over 4 years doing less than 20% of the work.
7. The Governor set up a committee to examine the issues in dispute that led to the August Protest and while the team was still at work; LCC proceeded to accelerate the pace of work at the Chevron toll even while it was being recommended for demolition.
8. LCC plans to commence tolling on 3rd January, 2011 even though the average peak period travel time from Ajah to Victoria Island is over 3 hrs compared to less than 1 hr before the Lekki expansion commenced.
9. The Lekki-Epe way is not an expressway as it has posted speed limit of 60 km/hr even in the completed section
10. The Lekki road project is the most audacious fraud a Government can commit against its own people, the most flagrant disregard of tax payers and exploitation of the citizens.

Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you're a man, you take it.
--- Malcolm X (1925 - 1965), Malcolm X Speaks, 1965

The Lekki-Epe way residents have a good opportunity for mass mobilization given that there are many estates with organised resident associations along the road and the indigenes have already demonstrated their unity of purpose during the great Lekki protest of August.
Many residents, workers and indigenes in the Lekki area are opposed to the idea of tolling, even though there are some who think that one toll plaza should be just fine but there has not been an opportunity for them to voice out their opinion and even the hugely successful Lekki protest of August took many by surprise especially the 8-4 workers (5am – 9pm in the case of Lekki). There are also those who believe that the toll amount is the most important thing as long as it is affordable.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
--- Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 - 1968), Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963

The Lekki toll fraud is the first in the state and many Lagosians cannot be bothered because they have no business in the Lekki area and view the area as a rich area and this has worked well in LASG’s favour but the lesson of history is clear – this will be the first of many more.

Power never takes a back step - only in the face of more power.
--- Malcolm X (1925 - 1965), Malcolm X Speaks, 1965

It is clear that LCC and LASG are determined to go ahead with the toll plan except there is a determined resistance from the stakeholders and I will outline a few of what can still be done.
1. All stakeholders (Resident estates, Workers union, Local communities) should come together to outline where they stand on the issue of tolling and take every necessary step to ensure that the people are respected.

2. It is very important to ensure that tolling does not commence on 3rd January, 2011.

3. Every eligible person should get registered in preparation for the forthcoming elections and make it a duty ensure that no member of this present LAGOS state House of Assembly returns to the house except they promise to pass the Freedom of information bill in Lagos and ensure transparency in the government of Lagos. I have only refrained from asking that Mr. Fashola be voted out because I’m yet to see a better opposition candidate (they probably do exist) and clearly do not regard the PDP as a party to be trusted.

4. The Lekki toll is not the right opportunity to show one’s class or level of affluence in the society as LCC plans through the SWIFT and e-Tag toll classification. If you really work hard for your money, the duty you owe LASG is to pay your tax and they owe you the provision of basic infrastructure including a free road to your house.

5. A press conference is planned for Wednesday 22nd December, 2010 and next steps would be announced. The only reason LCC and Fashola have succeeded thus far is because we’ve been docile and now is the time to put our money where our mouth is. The tolling has been perfectly planned for the holiday period when many people are expected to have travelled and opposition will be weak.

Why now? Why not now?
--- Lekki Residents, Resolution 2010


Many people ask if it’s not too late to resist the tolling and why now when so much has been spent and my response is basically given above.
1. While it may appear a bit late, it is still very timely because our success will send a strong message to corrupt politicians and greedy bankers to take their stakeholders seriously. The banks in this case recognise that this a very risky financing project as it is a clear case of enslaving the people which is why they had to get LASG to commit N5 billion and also ensure 1500 hectares of prime land is deposited as collateral. The bankers are business men and will do anything that gives them more money except people react appropriately.
2. This is an election period and there is no better time to get our elected officials to listen to us than now.
3. The whole transaction has been shrouded in secrecy with active collaboration from the House of Assembly and if we don’t help ourselves now, we’ve lost it.
4. People ask if LCC does not deserve credit for the “good work” they’ve done so far and my simple response is always a question - if you pay your tax, do you deserve a good road to your house or what did the residents of Bourdillon in Ikoyi do to deserve a good road to their house?
5. There are rumours that the project cost is N50 billion for expansion of 25 km of the road and provision of median for another 25 km which gives an average of N1 billion per kilometre, more than 3 times the FG benchmark of N320 million per kilometre for a new road.
6. The ACN with total domination of the House of Assembly and Local Governments and has yet to show any sign of transparency in its affairs. Mr. Fashola has always avoided telling us the cost of any road project.
7. There is no alternative to the toll road at the moment. The much touted Oniru bypass cannot be an alternative because it’s been built well in advance of the tolling and even makes our journey more tortuous than what we had before.
8. Lekki tolling is the start of a new method of slavery and needs to be nipped in the bud right now.

co-signed

Abeg shut ur trap and go pay ur tolls.

Don't understand why the rich don't like spending money. Tolls are taken in mushin, no one is complaining, now its lekki, they re spitting fire. You want good roads, but dnt want to make sacrifices. Abeg go sit down.

@jacobs123 God bless you plenty plenty

@xavier, it is apparent that you are very ignorant.

I personally am a stakeholder in this matter because I live and work in the axis covered by this road. The summary of what I've seen is just pure wickedness (govt's inhumanity to its citizens). Up until last week when schools closed, I used to leave my house by 4.30 a.m. in order not to get into the deliberate traffic caused by LCC, a journey which oirdinarily shouldn't take more than 10 mins. How do you expect me to spend 3 hrs moving from Ajah to Jakande (because of your incompetence) and then a little further in front pay you for cvausing me such inconvenience!! It's the height of insanity.

Fundamentally, the concession as being done is a big fraud. When they said we shoudn't allow their investments go to waste because of the money they've spent we decided to wait for the toll charges. Can you imagine that someone that lives in Crown estate and works in VI will be spending almost N1,000 on tolls DAILY!!! It all doesn't make sense. So what is the tax meant for? I oersonally pay over 3 million naira in taxes to this same state govt every year and I challenge anybody to tell me just one thing that my tax benefits me. I will really like to put this question to Gov Fashola, tell him where I live and where I work and challenge him to tell me what exactly his govt has done for me and thousands of people klike me in this place that pay millions in taxes every year.

The time for silence is over. If it takes blockading the road by sleeping across the roads, we will do it. Tinubu shld go and look for his slaves else where.

There is a stakeholder's meeting at Millenium vocation centre, Ologolo village (around Agungi) tomorrow at 9 AM. We will discuss the next line of action.

RSVP : 08023202835 (WALE SANNI)

We may look like a rag tag army but we need to look these politicians in the face. We've all been angry but we need to let the LASG feel our Anger sometime before the 3rd of January (we preach non-violence for NOW!!!)[color=#990000][/color]

@ Xavier
I have no response for you now but suffice it to say you will hear from us even if you are TINUBU + FASHOLA!!! For every Jeremiah, there is a Samballat and his co-travellers.

jacobs123:

There is a stakeholder's meeting at Millenium vocation centre, Ologolo village (around Agungi) tomorrow at 9 AM. We will discuss the next line of action.

RSVP : 08023202835 (WALE SANNI)

We may look like a rag tag army but we need to look these politicians in the face. We've all been angry but we need to let the LASG feel our Anger sometime before the 3rd of January (we preach non-violence for NOW!!!)[color=#990000][/color]

@ Xavier
I have no response for you now but suffice it to say you will hear from us even if you are TINUBU + FASHOLA!!! For every Jeremiah, there is a Samballat and his co-travellers.

Pls do us a favor by postng d outcome of d meeting here cos som us may nt b readily available by tomoro.
This madness talk of tollin shld b critically looked into,
I'v realy analysed it and it clearly explains
NIGERIAN as A COUNTRY WIT MULTIPLE TAX SYSTEM

I have been thinking about the dilema that is this road concession and I believe I have an idea that could be a win-win situation if properly considered by the state govt. The idea is premised on the fact that as a people who pay tax to the govt, we are entitled to amenities from the same tax collected from us. If they disagree with this, then the idea falls flat in its face.

Now to the idea: LCC has a scheme called e-tag in which you have an account with them which you top-up periodically. That way they can monitor your usage per annum. I am proposing that residents (and maybe non-residents of the area whichever way you look at it) be given what those in the US call tax returns that cover the charges they accumulate for using the road within a year. As is obvious, THIS WILL ONLY APPLY TO THOSE THAT ACTUALLY PAY THEIR TAXES!! That way the agitation that the tax paid entitles one to a road to his house is settled and the real cost is borne by thosae who don't pay taxes.

What do you guys think?

We just finished a meeting of the "Lekki toll resistance" and the agreement is that there will be a press conference at the Ebunolu Adegoruwa's Chambers at Lekki Phase 1 (just after This Present House). You can come in through Lekki phase 1 admiralty way or the former 2nd roundabout.
The Press conference is for 10 AM prompt. We need as many people as possible who area against this Slavery to come and show their presence.
Those who want the road tolled are welcome to come and explain to us why we don't deserve a free road to go to our houses and take them to the schools we pay heavily for since LASG has abandoned Eti-Osa.

We may look a rag-tag army now and Tinubu may even buy all the media houses (they are refusing to carry our stories and grant us interviews even with Cash payment) but we know we are fighting a good cause and God that delivered our ancestors from SLAVERY will deliver us and destroy our oppressors.




Re: Fashola Suspends Lekki Expressway Toll Collection
« #86 on: Today at 08:57:08 PM »
Modify message
I will offer a few more information for those who think we are fighting a useless fight

Even though the road has been concessioned, the Lagos state government (LASG) has actually committed N5 billion ($42 million) of tax payers to the project and this facts sits pretty on the website of Standard bank and Mr. Fashola said that much in one of his investor road shows in the city of Dubai.

http://corporateandinvestment.standardbank.co.za/sa/news_centre/news_centre.jsp?from=recent&mediaid=313

http://www.lagosstate.gov.ng/index.php?page=speechdetail&spid=324&mnu=governor

When the Lekki toll proposal was brought up in the executive council meeting during Tinubu's era, 90% of those in attendance including Mr. Fashola voted against it but it was vetoed.

In any PPP, there is always a value for the existing asset (even NITEL has) but the Lekki road was given a zero value. We know in actual sense that there was a value collected but used to execute Fashola's election.

They will only expand ~25 Km of road and construct median for the remaining 24 km at a sum of 50 Billion naira.

This will be the fight that will define Fashola's tenure and also the fight that will give LAgosians back their state from one Godfather.

Please vote out the ACN House of Rep Member from Eti-Osa for even allowing this to go on for so long. They need to know that no Godfather can save them!


see link below for more info

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-572178.0.html

Its a scam by tinubu, his cronies and companies!

Xavier.:

Abeg shut your trap and go pay your tolls.

Don't understand why the rich don't like spending money. Tolls are taken in mushin, no one is complaining, now its lekki, they re spitting fire. You want good roads, but dnt want to make sacrifices. Abeg go sit down.

This can only be posted by someone who does not pay taxes. Abeg go and obtain employment, start paying taxes then see if you'd be happy with being billed for something that should have been provided to you by the state government.

It's not about the money. It's the morality of the whole thing. The OP has laid out his argument in lucid and clear logic. Take time out to read it before commenting.