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2010 Performances:

WAEC rewards student, schools for outstanding performances
By GABRIEL DIKE
Tuesday, Febuary 16, 2010

Uwadiae, WAEC HNO
•Photo: The Sun Publishing

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A former student of King’s High School , Satellite Town, Lagos, Master Maduka David Immanuel has emerged the best candidate in the May/June 2008 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) out of 1,369,142 candidates. He was rewarded by WAEC in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State recently.

Master Immanuel, 18, with registration number 4250420043, emerged the overall best candidate in a total score of 718.43. He recorded A1 in eight subjects and A2 in Biology. He is presently an undergraduate at Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State studying Mechanical Engineering.

He received the award at the 47th annual meeting of the Nigeria National Committee of WAEC, which held at Le Meridien Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and unlike previous awards that attract the best three candidates in the May/June WASSCE, Master Immanuel was alone as other candidate did not meet the laid down criteria for the honour.

This is the first time since 1984 when the award was initiated by WAEC that only one candidate emerged the winner of National Distinction Award for the May/June 2008 WASSCE as in previous event three candidates out of which one must be the best female candidate.

Immanuel, from Ibadan, Oyo State attended United English Baptist Church Primary School, Barnawa, Kaduna State and his pre-primary school was at God’s Way Nursery and Primary School, Ibadan while his parents are Mr. & Mrs. Madukauwa David and during the ceremony which attracted Registrar to Council, Alhaji Mulikat Bello, Chairman, Nigeria National Committee, Alhaji G.Y. Bello, the director, basic education and secondary education, Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja, WAEC Head of National Office, Dr. Iyi Uwadiae, government officials of Akwa Ibom and the Principal of his school.

In the May/June 2008 WASSCE, the 18-year-old boy with registration no 4250420043 recorded the following grades: Geography 1, English Language 1, Yoruba Language 1 Further Mathematics 1, Mathematics 1, Biology 2, Chemistry 1, Physics 1 and Technical Drawing 1 thus he had a T-score of 718.43.
He had won laurels, awards and prizes such as double promotion from Nursery one to Nursery 3, third best student in JS2 promotion examination, overall best student in King’s High School in 2005 Lagos State JSCE, won prizes in all subjects he offered in JSS2-JS3 and SS1-SS11, won proprietor’s scholarship award for best academic student in JSCE which he sustained throughout his senior secondary school, won the 2008/2009 academic session’s King’s High School proprietor’s university scholarship award for the best graduating student.

He represented Lagos State in the National Physics quiz competition held during the Nigeria Institute of Physics 31st annual conference at Federal University of Technology, Owerri in 2008 and took second position. Others are best student in Lagos State’s Physics quiz competition in 2008, came first in Nigeria Final qualifying examination for 2008 International Physics Olympiad organized by National Mathematics Centre, Abuja, got commendation letter from Lagos State Government for his academic performance and lifting the banner of the state, honored by Lagos State Government during the Independent day celebration and was the Head Boy of King’s High School in 2008/2009 academic session.

His school, King’s High School, a co-educational private secondary school owned by Mr. F.Awomolo and was opened on January 7, 1991 with just seven students but now has a population of over 500 students and 37 qualified teaching staff under the incumbent Principal, Dr. E.K. Owu and based on the performance of Master Immanuel, the school won the Omo N’Oba Erediauwa coronation trophy for producing the best male candidate in the May/June 2008 WASSCE, thus the honour was received by the Principal.

The school has also won the following awards and laurels. They included, Onwunali Augustine Onyekachi (student) who came second in WAEC May/June 2004 WASSCE as the excellence award was presented in Accra, Ghana in March 6, 2006, produced the second winner in Nigeria WASSCE conducted by WACE in May/June 2004, winner of Omo N’Oba Erediauwa coronation trophy for producing the best male candidate in May/June WASSCE in 2004, produced Maduaka Immanuel who represented Lagos in national Physics quiz completion, produced Anedu Chsomo who came first in Chemistry in 2008 Nigeria Mathematics Centre, Abuja and produced the students who won the first prize in a quiz competition organized by Continental Trust Bank for secondary school in Lagos State in 2004.

However, Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja, established in October 1996 is a co-educational school won the Augustus Bandele Oyediran trophy for producing the best overall results in the May/June 2008 WASSCE and it would be recalled that the institution experienced its most traumatic moment on December 10, 2005 when it lost 60 students in a plane crash.

The school has consistently produced the best performance in WASSCE in the last four years and had won the Augustus Bandele Oyediran trophy consecutively since 2002 and also the Omo N’Oba Erediauwa coronation trophies for producing the best male and female candidates in the May/June 2007 WASSCE.

In the last award, Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja produced the three students that carted away best candidates honours, Omo N’Oba Erediauwa coronation trophy while Lumen Christi International High School, Uromi, Edo State went home with the Augustus Bandele Oyediran trophy for producing the overall best results in the May/June WASSCE in 2007.

Aside the award to the student, WAEC also used the occasion to honour about 193 staff made of junior and senior workers who were employed in 1988 and 1989 with the 2009 long service awards. While 168 senior staff got honoured, 25 junior ones were also not left out.


http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/education/2010/feb/16/education-16-02-2010-002.htm

While I do not subscribe to the "gutter journalism" style of this reporter, I think this is noteworthy:


WAEC: Lumen Christi High School, Uromi dusts Loyola Jesuit College, KC to emerge nation’s best school
By GABRIEL DIKE
Tuesday, January 04, 2011


• Principal of the school, Rev. Fr. Theophilus Itaman and two of his students receiving the best school results trophy from WAEC Registrar, Alhaja. Mulikat Bello
PHOTO: THE SUN PUBLISHING

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For the second time in two years, Lumen Christi International High School, Uromi, Edo State has beaten over 11,000 secondary schools nationwide to emerge the best in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

And for achieving this feat, the secondary school was recently honoured by WAEC at an award ceremony in Kaduna State in which it was presented with the Augustus Bandele Oyediran trophy meant for the school in Nigeria with the best overall results for 2009 WASSCE.

In 2007 WASSCE, Lumen Christi International High School, Uromi for the first time in the 22 years history of the award instituted by WAEC in 1985 beat other secondary schools which include the notable ones to clinch the award for the school with the best results.

The award has put paid to claims and counter claims by some secondary schools that their students recorded 100 per cent in the WASSCE, particularly the private schools which is seen by stakeholders as an attempt or marketing strategy to entice parents to send their wards to such schools.

Again, in the 2009 WASSCE, which the award ceremony in Kaduna State was meant for, the Catholic-owned school stood high above several schools such as Loyola Jesuit College, Wuse, Abuja, Kings College, Lagos, Queens College, Yaba, Suleja Academy, Suleja, and other top expense ones to emerge the best thus carting away the trophy which was won last by Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja.

According to WAEC, the school which was established on October 5, 1986 by the then Archbishop of Benin City, Most Rev. P.E. Ekpu,won the trophy which is given to the school in Nigeria that has the best aggregate, determined by the results of its 50 candidates, provided that the grades for English Language, Mathematics and a science subject are included.

At the award ceremony in Kaduna, dignitaries, Daily Sun learnt, were somehow surprised when Lumen Christi International High School, Uromi’s name was mentioned as they had expected one of the top flight secondary schools to emerge the best going by their facilities and school fees.
Records from WAEC reveal that the current best secondary school started with just 40 students on her temporary site at Ogbidi Learning Center, Uromi, under the pioneer Principal, Late Sir A.I. Eigbe but now operates at her permanent site with a student population of 566 and 98 staff.

According to its mission statement and philosophy, the school is “set to meet the growing and expressed needs of the people for post-primary institution with emphasis on moral value education, to fulfill the Church’s mission as teachers, sanctifiers and leaders, provide the highest possible academic growth for each learner, encourage fair competition but discourage unhealthy competition especially that which puts people down.”
Others are “to extend learning activities to help them (students) in attaining self-discipline, self-motivation, learning and research, develop their investigative powers, basic skills and personal interest outside the classroom/school environment, …demonstrate positive role models, mutual respect, and communalism and develop positive leadership and followership.”

Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna state and the Chairman, Nigeria National Committee (NNC) of WAEC, Alhaji G.Y. Bello both lauded Lumen Christi International High School, Uromi for emerging the best school with the aggregate results of its 50 candidates.
An educationist, Chief Olu Babafemi described the feat achieved by the Uromi school, as one that would lead to some parents asking questions and coming to terms that structure and high fees do not produce good results.

Chief Babafemi, who is the Proprietor of Star International College, Ikeja, told Daily Sun that winning the trophy for the second time means the school and its students would go places and that the award by WAEC to the school has rubbished the noise by some of the elites institutions that the school recorded 100 per cent when the results were released with their students recording Alphas in eight subjects.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/education/2011/jan/04/education-04-1-2011-003.htm

Thanks to lagcity, dis guy, ighoeve, Evagreenfields, Jah Man, MBG4Real for your insightful posts.

I think most people are missing the import of my post.

The objective is not to get NLanders to post the names of their alma maters.

I realise that there is no single criteria for determining the best school.

Put another way, what I am asking is this?

Which secondary school in Nigeria today would you send your own child to given your present income level and why?

Let's see if some of you would still list your alma maters

This is the post on Loyola Jesuit College From Wikipedia. Note the reasons given for the claim that it is the best. Such information about other schools will be appreciated.


Loyola Jesuit College is a private Roman Catholic secondary school in Nigeria operated by the Society of Jesus religious order. The school was opened on October 2, 1996 and is named after the Society's founder, St. Ignatius of Loyola.

Loyola Jesuit College is a co-educational, boarding institution located in Gidan Mangoro in the outskirts of Abuja, Nigeria's capital. Loyola Jesuit College is regarded by many as currently being the best secondary school in Nigeria[1].

The highly selective school has claimed the best West African Examination Council (WAEC) examinations results for the past seven years, as well as the best JAMB results for several of those years, and is thus regarded as the best in West Africa.

The school has a reputation for graduating highly qualified students who go on to attend some of the best-ranked universities in the world.

Thanks your responses.

Giving detailed reasons for your choices would however be more valuable that just popping these names.

The intention of the post is not to determine the most popular school.

A number of respondents have said that Loyola Jesuit is the best but on what basis?

The criteria for your choice is very important.

And don't forget the other questions!

Thanks.

When I as younger, the Unity Schools  (Federal Government Colleges) considered the best secondary schools in the country.  Some of my siblings and friends attended these schools. International Schools (such as International School Ibadan and later International School Lagos) and the command secondary schools were also considered very good.

Apart from the high standards of these schools, the schools fees were within reach and facilities adequate.

Today, there are a myriad of private schools in the country with some even charging in hard currency.

I would like folks to share their views on the following (no adverts please!):

Have the unity schools, international schools and command schools  been able to maintain the standards or are living on past glory today?
What criteria can be used to determine good secondary schools in Nigeria?
Which schools would you rate tops in the following categories (high fees paying and medium fee paying)?
I have heard about the Loyola Jesuit College, Is it really very good or is it all just hype?
Some schools have introduced foreign curriculum and even A-levels and baccalaureate prgrammes. What impact do these have on the development of the students?

Other relevant comments are welcome.

I am not sure that Mimiko is a practising muslim.

‘No to fencing, no to toll gate’
By Nathaniel Akhigbe

January 4, 2011 12:30AM


Residents of more than 74 estates and 18 villages under the umbrella of Lekki-Etiosa-Epe Estates Indigenes and Stakeholders Association (LEEEISA), yesterday in Lagos, vowed to do anything possible to stop the Lagos State government and Lekki Concession Company (LCC) from going ahead to collect toll at the controversial toll plazas on Lekki-Epe Road.

The group, at a rally held yesterday in Lekki first roundabout, called for an outright cancellation of the toll plazas, saying that the indefinite suspension of the tolling announced last week by the state governor, Raji Fashola, was for political reasons and would re-introduce the tolling after the election.

As early as 6.30a.m, the leaders of the residents associations,Ausbeth Ajagu,Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, Ayobami Biobaku, and members of the Heritage Group and leader of the Ajah IlajeAssociation, A. Ikuesan, had all converged on the Lekki Phase 1 roundabout for the rally. They were all wearing T-shirts with the inscription; ‘No to fencing, no to toll gate’.

The police, led by the DPO of Maroko Police Station, Mr. Ukoh, were on hand to offer protection to the group and to stop hoodlums from hijacking the event.

Shady project

The group said that Lagos State government has not been able to give reasons why it would toll the only major road constructed for a local government that generates one of the highest income for the government; and yet, there are no government hospitals and only two secondary schools.

“Putting a toll on this road is restricting our movement,” said Lawal Alalekan, the group’s spokesperson.

“Come to think of it, Lagos State government is deeply involved in the financing of this project. Which money are they using? It is the tax payer’s money! Lagos State government gave a 42 million US dollar loan or grant for the take-off of this project. That is over 6 billion naira. Where are the monies got into? Lagos State government guaranteed the loan that was used in financing the project: over 240 million dollars. They have not done the road to ten kilometres, they want to start tolling. Our question is why preferential treatment to LCC? Why has the government committed so much of the tax payers money; and they are still asking us to pay?”said Mr. Alalekan.

‘We are ready for dialogue’

The chairman of LEEEISA, Ausbeth Ajagu, however, thanked Mr. Fashola for the indefinite suspension of the tolling, calling on the governor to carry the people and the stakeholders along, for mutual and better understanding.

He said the group would like to dialogue with the state government on the toll issue, as well as on some other issues pertaining to the smooth and conducive living environment in Lekki-Etiosa-Epe axis.

Secretary of the Lekki resident association, and chairman, Nicon Town Residence Association, Tayo Adebowale, said that it was socially irresponsible for a government to place an additional burden of tolling on people.

“Whether there is godfather behind it or not, I care less! All I know is that, I am not going to put any extra burden on my economic life,” Mr. Adebowale said.

The undertones

Solomon Onyibe, a real estate consultant, said the Lagos State government and LCC have not been very transparent in the execution of the contract since inception. He added that it was obvious “there are a lot of undertones in the contract arrangement.”

“Let them come out and make the contract agreement public! Let’s see how the money was raised. Let’s check the books,” Mr. Onyinbe said.

“Our stand here is that you cannot toll an existing road. We can’t pay. What is special about Lekki? The facility they provided in Lekki Peninsular, is it more than what they provided in: Ikoyi, Yaba, Surulere, and Festac? All the roads in these places I have mentioned are tarred. If you are going from here to Festac and Yaba, you will not go on an untarred road until you get to your house! Why not toll there? The only road they seem to be doing here, they want to toll it. This is oppression,” Mr. Oyinbe added.

In his remarks, the president of Ilasan Housing Estate, and the deputy leader of Maroko Evictee, Tajudeen Jegede, stated that what they want is a total cancellation of the purported toll, saying that a larger percentage of the people staying in the axis are poor people.

“If you look at the people staying at Ilasan Housing Estate, for instance, they are people who were evicted from Maroko in 1990. Now, we have not been able to balance presently as am talking to you now. From Obalende to Ajah is 200 naira. If they should add the toll fee, we would be paying up to 500 naira,” he said.

Mr. Jegede, who also is the chairman of the technical committee, Lekki Free Trade Zone, pointed out that even the Lagos State civil servants on that axis would not be spared, as all their earnings would go into transportation should the government go ahead and imposed the toll on the people.

The protest spilled on to the Lekki-Epe expressway, bringing vehicular movement to a total standstill, with the police and LASTMA officers assisting to control the traffic.


http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/5660342-146/story.csp#

Lagos Residents Protest Against Lekki Toll Fee

Posted: January 3, 2011 - 17:53

By Citizen Reports

True to their threat, members of the Eti-Osa-Lekki-Epe Residents and Indigenes Association (LEEISA) held a peaceful rally on the Lekki-Epe Expressway to protest the proposed toll fee to be charged on motorists and residents.

The Lekki Concession Company had initially announced commencement of tolling on the Lekki-Epe expressway for January 3, 2011, but the residents and stakeholders had embarked upon mass campaign against the project, leading to bulk sms and email messages to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN. A case was also filed against the toll fee at the Lagos High Court by human rights activist and lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa.


The governor eventually announced an indefinite suspension of the toll collection, but the residents insisted on outright cancellation and not suspension, of the toll fee. The rally was meant to draw awareness to the campaign for total cancellation.

As early as 6.30a.m. today, January 3, 2011, the leaders of the residents, Dr. Ausbeth Ajagu, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, Mr. Ayobami Biobaku and members of the Heritage Group and leader of the Ajah Ilaje Association, Prince A. Ikuesan, had all converged on the Lekki Phase 1 roundabout for the rally. They were all wearing T-shirts with the inscription> “No to fencing, no to toll gate.” The police, lead by the DPO of Maroko Police Station, Mr. Ukoh, were on hand to offer protection to the group and to stop hoodlums from hijacking the event.

The rally commenced at about 8am, with opening prayers said by Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, who also doubles as a pastor of the biggest RCCG church in Lekki Phase 1. Prayers were also said by a muslim cleric. Addressing the gathering, the chairman, Dr. Ausbeth Ajagu, restated the commitment of the group to a total cancellation of the toll fee, saying that the Lekki-Epe expressway, was the only project ever embarked upon by the Lagos State Government in the area. He acknowledged the effort of the governor in his intervention to suspend the collection of the toll, but stressed the need for a total cancellation. He said the group accepted the invitation of the governor for dialogue on the issue but warned that such will never lead to any concession on toll, since available information already showed that about N6.3B of Lagos State money has already been contributed into the project.

Also addressing the gathering, Mr. Ayobami Biobaku, representing the business interest in the Lekki-Epe axis, stated that the idea of the toll project has affected businesses adversely as businessmen are now facing serious challenges to break even, mainly because of the negative impact the project has had on businesses in the area.

Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa on his own part, stated that it would amount to double taxation to have three different toll plazas on a single road of about 23 klms only. He said the land constituting the road was acquired originally by the Lagos State Government under the regime of Alhaji Kayode Jakande from the indigenes for public use and if it is now to be turned over to LCC for commercial use, the land must first be de-acquired and returned to the original owners who would then decide whether or not to partner with LCC. He stated further that it was wrong for the government and LCC to attempt to impose the toll fee on the people and that the purported suspension by the governor was only a political carrot because of the coming 2011 elections. He said everyone must be alert to ensure that at no other time should the idea of the toll fee be accepted now and for ever. Mr. Adegboruwa wondered why the Lagos State Government has singled out the people of the Lekki-Epe axis for punishment and extortion when similar and better roads built by the same government in other areas in the state were not being tolled. He said it amounts to discrimination for the residents and indigenes to be the only ones to be forced to pay for public infrastructure when other Lagosians are enjoying similar facilities free of charge.

At exactly 9.00 am, the gathering spilled on to the Lekki-Epe expressway proper, bringing vehicular movement to a total standstill, with the police and LASTMA officers assisting to control the traffic. The protesters were led by Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, holding large banners with the inscription “NO TO TOLL FEE”, “NO TO LCC TOLL FRAUD”. “LEKKI ROAD IS OUR PROPERTY”, “WE DEMAND TOLL CANCELLATION, NOT SUSPENSION”, etc. The group then formed a long line across the expressway, with Dr. Ajagu and Mr. Biobaku leading the procession. They marched around the Lekki Phase 1 roundabout, stopping traffic at each point. This went on for about 30 minutes when the group again re-assembled inside the Lekki-Phase 1 roundabout. Motorists and passers-by were openly hailing the protesters, with many men and women joining in the rally. Residents of Lekki Phase 1 all came out in their large numbers to support the group. The rally ended peacefully at about 10am.



http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/lagos-residents-protest-against-lekki-toll-fee

Lagos suspends toll collection on Lekki-Epe Expressway

Thursday, 30 December 2010

THE Lagos State government, on Wednesday, announced the indefinite suspension of the commencement of toll collection on the Eti–Osa Lekki-Epe Expressway.

In a press statement signed by the Director-General of the Lagos State Public-Private Partnership office, Mr Ayo Gbeleyi, the state government said the suspension was to enable the government to further engage with the concessionaire, Lekki Concession Company Limited (LCC) and the concerned stakeholders.

“As a listening and responsive government, and in deference to appeals by well-meaning citizens and a further demonstration of the commitment of the state government to the yearning of the people, the governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has, today, directed the indefinite suspension of toll collection on the Eti-Osa Lekki-Epe expressway, originally billed for January 3, 2010,” the statement read.

It added that in the intervening period, the government would work with LCC to ensure that the work progressed considerably and that alternative routes were completed.

The statement added that this would ensure that road users, who desired not to pay tolls, would have the benefit of enjoying a significant part of the completed road sections.

“In addition, the government will be addressing the financial implications of this suspension with the concessionaires and their financiers, to maintain the integrity and investor-friendly posture of the state,” the statement added.

The government, in the statement, thanked all citizens and stakeholders who had been supportive of the efforts of the administration to transform Lagos State and lauded them for their continued understanding and support towards the successful delivery of road infrastructure in the state.

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/15482-lagos-suspends-toll-collection-on-lekki-epe-expressway

Fashola suspends planned tolling on Lekki-Epe Expressway

News Dec 29, 2010 By Leke Adeseri, South West Regional Editor & Olasunkanmi Akoni

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Wednesday, directed the indefinite suspension of planned toll collection on the Eti-Osa Lekki Epe Expressway billed to commence on Monday, January 3, 2011.

The suspension, acccording to government, is to enable it further engage with the concessionaire, Lekki Concession Company Limited, LCC and the concerned stakeholders to chart a new agreeable course.

Announcing the directive by the governor, Mr Ayo Gbeleyi, Director-General, Lagos State Public-Private Partnership Office, PPPO, said the move became necessary due to appeals by well-meaning citizens.

According to Gbeleyi; “in the intervening period, the government would work with LCC to ensure that the road works progress considerably and that alternative routes (in addition to the one at Toll Plaza I that has been fully upgraded), for which the government has responsibility, are substantially completed.

“This would ensure that road users who desire not to pay tolls would have the option as well as the benefit of enjoying a significant part of the completed sections.

“In addition, government will be addressing the financial implications of this suspension with the concessionaires and their financiers to maintain the integrity and investor friendly posture of the state.

“The government would like to seize this opportunity to once again thank all citizens and stakeholders who have been very supportive of the administration’s efforts for a radical transformation of Lagos State for their continued understanding and support towards the successful delivery of the road infrastructure.”

How it all started

When in April 2006, the Lagos State government engaged Messrs Lekki Concession Company, LCC, to upgrade and expand the 49.5 kilometre Lekki-Epe expressway under a build-operate-transfer,BOT, model, many did not understand the full implications of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme designed to ease the usual traffic gridlock along the road.

But with the first phase of the project almost completed, the proposed collection of tolls on the road expected to commence on Monday generated sharp disapproval among residents of the highbrow neighbourhood.

While some residents were in support of the project, many others vehemently kicked against it. Their opposition is mainly based on the proposed collection of tolls.

The contractual agreement between the concessionaire and the state government provides for three toll plazas where users of the road will pay a stipulated fee before exiting the 49.5 kilometre road. Aggrieved residents of the area however claim that the plazas will not only fence them off their community but will also subject them to unfair financial burdens.

A traditional ruler who pleaded anonymity earlier told Vanguard that the project has numerous flaws. According to him, there was no due consultation with the leaders of the community before the project was embarked upon,

“The project will help the community in its own little way but only a section of the community was carried along while the rest were ignored by the stakeholders.

“My grouse is this: How can the government wake up overnight and decide to construct three toll gates in one community and expect residents to pay the tolls

“A lot of people are of the opinion that those of us living in Lekki are wealthy without considering the fact that many of us are still living in our father’s houses. Do they expect us to go and rob to pay the tolls?” he asked.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/12/fashola-suspends-planned-tolling-on-lekki-epe-expressway/

Fashola suspends Lekki expressway toll collection
By Mudiaga Affe
Thursday, 30 Dec 2010



Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, on Wednesday ordered the indefinite suspension of toll collection on the Eti-Osa Lekki Epe Expressway.



It was originally billed to commence on January 3, 2011 but the state government succumbed to appeals and complaints on the toll.



The suspension, according to the governor, is to enable the government to further engage with the concessionaire, the Lekki Concession Company Limited, and the concerned stakeholders on the proposed toll.



In a statement signed by the Director-General, Lagos State Public-Private Partnership, Ayo Gbeleyi, the government said it would use the intervening period to address the financial implications of the suspension with the concessionaires and their financiers to maintain the integrity and investor-friendly posture of the administration



Gbeleyi added that the government would also take advantage of the period to work with the LCC to ensure that the road works advanced considerably and that alternative routes pledged by the state government were completed.



He said, “This will ensure that road users who desire not to pay tolls have the option as well as the benefit of enjoying a significant part of the completed road sections.



“The government would like to seize this opportunity to once again thank all citizens and stakeholders who have been very supportive of the administration’s effort for a radical transformation of Lagos State for their continued understanding and support towards the successful delivery of the road infrastructure.”




http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201012302245315

Toll Tariffs Price Incentives and Discounts Explained

Commencement of Tolling

Lekki Concession Company ("LCC" has today announced that the collection of tolls at the first Toll Plaza also known as "Admiralty Circle Plaza" will commence on Monday 3rd January 2011. Although the ongoing construction works have moved well beyond the completed Road Section 1 (Km 0-6 carriageway; expansion of ExxonMobil Bridge; and construction of the Admiralty Circle Plaza) the tolls to be collected at the Admiralty Circle Plaza from January 2011 onwards relate only to the completed Road Section 1 and not to uncompleted sections of the road. This is in line with the terms of the Concession Mandate granted to LCC by Lagos State Government.

Benefits of Road PPP Concessions and Tolling

Many of Nigeria's roads are in visibly poor and unsafe condition for motoring although road-based transportation accounts for over 90% of the means via which people and goods are transported around the country today. Historic poor road construction lack of maintenance lack of services and lack of effective road management are some of the factors that have contributed to the current situation. As has been done successfully in other countries around the world the Federal and various State Governments of Nigeria are increasingly turning to PPPs as a means to close our country's large infrastructure deficit including in roads utilizing finance technical and other resources from the private sector to achieve this. Lagos State pioneered the way with the Eti-Osa Lekki Toll Road Concession for which various international awards and other accolades have been received. The new road infrastructure and related services being rolled out progressively along Eti-Osa Lekki-Epe Expressway are now evident for all to see.

Mr Opuiyo Oforiokuma MD/CEO of LCC explains: "Tolling is a fundamental aspect of Toll Road Concessions such as that under which the privately-financed rehabilitation and upgrade of Eti-Osa Lekki-Epe Expressway is currently being executed by LCC. Tolls are the main source of income from which investors like LCC are able to provide for the costs of the routine maintenance and future upgrades of the road assets and eventually also recoup the costs of their investment and service the cost of the financing. Key benefits of tolling include the visibility between what road users pay and the quality and regular upkeep of the road assets and related services provided by the Concessionaire as well as the savings that road users enjoy in terms of improved journey times convenience safety and reduction in travel costs such as fuel consumption repairs and vehicular wear-and-tear. There is also someone to hold accountable for the road and the services which in this case is LCC".

Based on market and other research conducted in and around the Eti-Osa Lekki-Epe Axis LCC forecasts that road users should enjoy estimated savings of N25 or more per kilometre each time they use the Eti-Osa Lekki Toll Road. For example road users are already reporting time savings exceeding 1 hour along the completed Road Section 1 between Law School in Victoria Island and Maruwa Bus Stop in Lekki. Similar benefits will be derived on other sections of the road as the works there are completed. Time savings translate into tangible monetary benefits especially for those whose earnings are time-related. Faster travel speeds translate into tangible fuel savings as cars use less fuel at higher speeds. And the 24/7 convenience services such as route patrols and breakdown/tow assistance which LCC has already provided to over 3 000 road users on a complementary basis translate into tangible savings in costs that would have been borne by the assisted road users themselves.

Toll Tariffs Price Incentives and Discounts

The standard toll tariffs vary by vehicle class with heavy vehicles (measured by axle-loading) paying more than lighter ones. This is because heavy vehicles impose a greater extent of wear-and-tear on the road than lighter vehicles do. The price incentives and discounts are designed to recognize road users' chosen method of payment (cash or electronic); the frequency with which they use the Eti-Osa Lekki Toll Road; and the special importance of commercial danfo buses as the most popular means of public transportation used along the Eti-Osa Lekki-Epe Axis. Road users therefore need to view the toll tariffs in conjunction with the price incentives and discounts offered by LCC in order to get a full appreciation of the implications for their particular circumstances.

How To Determine The Tolls You Will Pay at the Admiralty Circle Plaza

Step 1: Determine your vehicle class. The standard toll tariffs differ by vehicle class.
Step 2: Determine your method of payment. Other than cash road users can pay for the tolls using the electronic toll devices (SwiftPass or eTag). The ePayment Incentive is offered to road users that pay for the tolls using either the SwiftPass or eTag. Both Swift Pass and eTag can be used to pay for the tolls for any vehicle class.
Step 3: Determine if you qualify for other discounts e.g. the Public Transport Discount or the Frequent User Discount.

The Standard Toll Tariffs

Road users that pay for their tolls with cash or who do not qualify for price incentives and/or discounts will pay the standard toll tariffs below.

Vehicle Class Description Standard Toll Tariff
Class M Motorcycles N50
Class I Saloon cars and tricycles N120
Class II Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) minibuses and pick-up trucks N150
Class IIA Commercial danfo minibuses N80
Class III Light trucks and 2-axle buses N250
Class IV Heavy trucks and buses with two or more heavy axles N350



ePayment Price Incentive

Road users who pay the tolls using either the SwiftPass or the eTag electronic payment device will enjoy a reduction off the standard toll tariffs for their class of vehicle. SwiftPass offers 5% off the standard tolls while eTag offers 10% off. The toll tariffs with the ePayment Price Incentive included are as shown below:

Electronic Device Class M Class I Class II Class IIA Class III Class IV
SwiftPass Tariffs N48 N114 N143 N76 N238 N333
eTag Tariffs N45 N108 N135 N72 N225 N315



To obtain a free SwiftPass or eTag for your vehicle road users will need to register for a customer account at selected branches of First Bank UBA Zenith Bank Diamond Bank Fidelity Bank and Stanbic IBTC. They can also register for their accounts by visiting our Customer Service Centre located at the Admiralty Circle Plaza on Eti-Osa Lekki-Epe Expressway. A deposit of N1 000 per vehicle will be required on account registration; however 100% of this deposit (no fees or charges deducted) will be applied towards payment of the account holder's first tolls until the deposit is exhausted and the account needs a top-up.

Registered customers will be able to top-up their accounts over-the-counter at any of the above banks at our Customer Service Centre via our website (www.lcc.com.ng) or at ATMs.

Public Transport Discount

This discount applies only to commercial danfo minibuses. They will enjoy a 47% reduction off the standard toll tariff for vehicles in their class only if their vehicles are registered to pay for their tolls using eTag.

Frequent User Discount

Some road users make more journeys on the Eti-Osa Lekki Toll Road than others do. The Frequent User Discount therefore recognizes this by offering stepped reductions in the toll tariffs for road users registered to pay for the tolls using the eTag if in any given month they exceed the average user thresholds defined by LCC. The Frequent User Discount is in addition to the 10% discount already offered to eTag users. A "trip" for these purposes is each time the road user's vehicle passes through the Toll Plaza in any direction. A journey to and fro through the Toll Plaza will count as 2 trips.

No. of Trips in the Month Class M Class I Class II Class IIA * Class III Class IV
Up to 80 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
81 to 160 5% 10% 10% 3% 20% 20%
161 to 240 15% 30% 30% 6% 40% 40%
241 and 320 20% 50% 50% 9% 50% 50%
321 and above 25% 60% 60% 13% 70% 70%
* Commercial danfo buses already benefit from the 47% Public Transport Discount



Value For Money
Using saloon cars (Class I) as an example to illustrate the impact of the ePayment Price Incentive and the Frequent User Discount on the tolls road users should see from the graphical analysis that they will pay less the more trips they do in a given month only paying N43 per trip at the highest discount level; i.e. for trips occurring after the cumulative number of trips in a given month exceeds 320.

An eTag road user who drives a saloon car and travels from Lekki Phase I Estate to Law School and back 3 times a day 5 days during the week and 1 day at weekends will on average do a total of 144 trips in the month. The eTag road user's first 80 trips will be charged at N108 per trip while the remaining 64 trips will be charged at N97 per trip costing a total of N14 848 in tolls for the month.

The road user however is now benefiting from much faster journey times and lower fuel consumption than before the road was rehabilitated and upgraded. As already indicated some road users are reporting time savings exceeding 1 hour in one direction along this completed section of the road and also that the 4 kilometre distance from Lekki Phase I Gate to Law School now takes them 15 minutes most of the time. What this means is that they previously covered this distance at an average speed of approximately 3km/hr whereas they are able to achieve an average speed of 16km/hr now. A saloon car consumes petrol at a rate of approximately 4km/litre for speeds less than 8km/hour and improves consumption to approximately 8km/litre at a speed of around 20km/hr. At a price of N65/litre as petrol currently costs in Nigeria we calculate that the road user in the example above saves ½ a litre of petrol (N32.50) on each journey from Lekki Phase I Estate to Law School or in the opposite direction. This amounts to estimated monthly fuel cost savings of N4 680 for this particular road user which when offset against the tolls for the month will reduce the net monthly cost of the tolls that this particular road user pays to around N10 000 before non-fuel cost savings (e.g. value of time lower vehicle repair and maintenance costs improved quality of life etc) are considered.

If this road user finds himself or herself in distress and receives a complementary breakdown or tow assistance from the suite of 24/7 convenience services provided by LCC that alone could save the road user up to N50 000 for the particular incident; a single incident saving that by far exceeds the cost that this particular road user would have to pay in tolls in that month.

Toll Exemptions

Some road users are automatically exempt from paying tolls on Nigerian roads e.g. members of the Armed Forces and other government agencies performing civic/official duties under Statute (e.g. the Armed Forces Act). These include the Military Police Customs Prisons and Immigration.

Some other road users are conditionally exempt by virtue of Protocol Agreements entered into with LCC. These include LASTMA LASAMBUS Lagos State Water Corporation FRSC and the Lagos State Fire Service.

Please contact our Customer Service Centre if in doubt about whether exempt status applies to you.

Alternative Routes

Road users who do not wish to pay the tolls can avail themselves of alternative routes that will enable them bypass the Admiralty Circle Plaza but still return back onto the Eti-Osa Lekki Toll Road afterwards where they will continue to enjoy the benefits of the new road assets and the suite of services provided by LCC. See the diagram below. For example a road user travelling from Victoria Island to Lekki could turn right off the Eti-Osa Lekki Toll Road into Ligali Ayorinde Street take a left into Akinbolagbe Street turn right into Oba Oniru Road (driving by City of David Church) and continue to Oniru Market Road. At the end of Oniru Market Road a right turn takes you back onto the Eti-Osa Lekki Toll Road.

This news from September last year seems to suggest that there will be tolling of the use of the bridge:

Lekki-Ikoyi bridge: Estate residents jittery over security, toll charges
By Akinpelu Dada
Thursday, 17 Sep 2009

Residents of highbrow Lekki Phase I Estate have protested the failure of the Lagos State Government to formally brief them on the ongoing Admiralty Way-Alexander Road (Lekki-Ikoyi) Link Bridge.

Apart from not taking them into confidence before commencing the project, which is meant to serve as an alternative route to link Ikoyi and the Mainland, the residents are apprehensive that the anticipated diversion of traffic from the Lekki-Epe Expressway to the estate will expose them to security breaches.

The Chairman, Lekki Residents Association, Chief Kayode Aderinokun, commended the Governor Babatunde Fashola‘s administration for initiating the project and for always thinking on how to improve social infrastructure in the state.

But he said that the residents felt slighted that the government had not told them what it was doing.
He said, “We really don‘t know what is going on. The Lagos State Government did not give us any information about the project, we only saw Julius Berger at the site. We are yet to be informed officially.

“We have very limited information about the project. What we know of it is what we have been reading in the newspapers. We need to know, for instance, how the bridge will interface with the existing roads in the estate.”

He said that attempts by some of the residents to get information from the project site had not yielded much result as officials of the contracting firm insisted that the right person to provide information was not available.

Aderinokun also said that though the government had not told them how the bridge would help solve the traffic problem in the Victoria Island/Lekki-Ajah area, the residents were uncomfortable with the possible diversion of traffic into the estate in order to access the bridge.

He appealed to the government not to impose additional levies on the people, or if it became inevitable, to impose minimal toll charges for using the bridge, as indicated by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Ganiyu Johnson, when he visited the project site on Thursday.

Our correspondent, who visited the site, which is close to the Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase I, reported that Julius Berger had deployed heavy duty equipment like cranes and barges for the transportation of materials across the lagoon, and earthmoving bulldozers among others.

Our correspondent witnessed the movement of some materials by a barge from the Admiralty Way end of the bridge to the Alexander Road end in Ikoyi. Officials of the company, however, refused to make any comment when approached to give an update on the project.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20090917272576

Eti-Osa Lekki Toll Road
Toll Tariffs Price Incentives and Discounts Explained

Commencement of Tolling

Lekki Concession Company ("LCC" has today announced that the collection of tolls at the first Toll Plaza also known as "Admiralty Circle Plaza" will commence on Monday 3rd January 2011. Although the ongoing construction works have moved well beyond the completed Road Section 1 (Km 0-6 carriageway; expansion of ExxonMobil Bridge; and construction of the Admiralty Circle Plaza) the tolls to be collected at the Admiralty Circle Plaza from January 2011 onwards relate only to the completed Road Section 1 and not to uncompleted sections of the road. This is in line with the terms of the Concession Mandate granted to LCC by Lagos State Government.

Benefits of Road PPP Concessions and Tolling

Many of Nigeria's roads are in visibly poor and unsafe condition for motoring although road-based transportation accounts for over 90% of the means via which people and goods are transported around the country today. Historic poor road construction lack of maintenance lack of services and lack of effective road management are some of the factors that have contributed to the current situation. As has been done successfully in other countries around the world the Federal and various State Governments of Nigeria are increasingly turning to PPPs as a means to close our country's large infrastructure deficit including in roads utilizing finance technical and other resources from the private sector to achieve this. Lagos State pioneered the way with the Eti-Osa Lekki Toll Road Concession for which various international awards and other accolades have been received. The new road infrastructure and related services being rolled out progressively along Eti-Osa Lekki-Epe Expressway are now evident for all to see.

Mr Opuiyo Oforiokuma MD/CEO of LCC explains: "Tolling is a fundamental aspect of Toll Road Concessions such as that under which the privately-financed rehabilitation and upgrade of Eti-Osa Lekki-Epe Expressway is currently being executed by LCC. Tolls are the main source of income from which investors like LCC are able to provide for the costs of the routine maintenance and future upgrades of the road assets and eventually also recoup the costs of their investment and service the cost of the financing. Key benefits of tolling include the visibility between what road users pay and the quality and regular upkeep of the road assets and related services provided by the Concessionaire as well as the savings that road users enjoy in terms of improved journey times convenience safety and reduction in travel costs such as fuel consumption repairs and vehicular wear-and-tear. There is also someone to hold accountable for the road and the services which in this case is LCC".

Based on market and other research conducted in and around the Eti-Osa Lekki-Epe Axis LCC forecasts that road users should enjoy estimated savings of N25 or more per kilometre each time they use the Eti-Osa Lekki Toll Road. For example road users are already reporting time savings exceeding 1 hour along the completed Road Section 1 between Law School in Victoria Island and Maruwa Bus Stop in Lekki. Similar benefits will be derived on other sections of the road as the works there are completed. Time savings translate into tangible monetary benefits especially for those whose earnings are time-related. Faster travel speeds translate into tangible fuel savings as cars use less fuel at higher speeds. And the 24/7 convenience services such as route patrols and breakdown/tow assistance which LCC has already provided to over 3 000 road users on a complementary basis translate into tangible savings in costs that would have been borne by the assisted road users themselves.

Toll Tariffs Price Incentives and Discounts

The standard toll tariffs vary by vehicle class with heavy vehicles (measured by axle-loading) paying more than lighter ones. This is because heavy vehicles impose a greater extent of wear-and-tear on the road than lighter vehicles do. The price incentives and discounts are designed to recognize road users' chosen method of payment (cash or electronic); the frequency with which they use the Eti-Osa Lekki Toll Road; and the special importance of commercial danfo buses as the most popular means of public transportation used along the Eti-Osa Lekki-Epe Axis. Road users therefore need to view the toll tariffs in conjunction with the price incentives and discounts offered by LCC in order to get a full appreciation of the implications for their particular circumstances.

How To Determine The Tolls You Will Pay at the Admiralty Circle Plaza

Step 1: Determine your vehicle class. The standard toll tariffs differ by vehicle class.
Step 2: Determine your method of payment. Other than cash road users can pay for the tolls using the electronic toll devices (SwiftPass or eTag). The ePayment Incentive is offered to road users that pay for the tolls using either the SwiftPass or eTag. Both Swift Pass and eTag can be used to pay for the tolls for any vehicle class.
Step 3: Determine if you qualify for other discounts e.g. the Public Transport Discount or the Frequent User Discount.

The Standard Toll Tariffs

Road users that pay for their tolls with cash or who do not qualify for price incentives and/or discounts will pay the standard toll tariffs below.

Vehicle Class Description Standard Toll Tariff
Class M Motorcycles N50
Class I Saloon cars and tricycles N120
Class II Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) minibuses and pick-up trucks N150
Class IIA Commercial danfo minibuses N80
Class III Light trucks and 2-axle buses N250
Class IV Heavy trucks and buses with two or more heavy axles N350



ePayment Price Incentive

Road users who pay the tolls using either the SwiftPass or the eTag electronic payment device will enjoy a reduction off the standard toll tariffs for their class of vehicle. SwiftPass offers 5% off the standard tolls while eTag offers 10% off. The toll tariffs with the ePayment Price Incentive included are as shown below:

Electronic Device Class M Class I Class II Class IIA Class III Class IV
SwiftPass Tariffs N48 N114 N143 N76 N238 N333
eTag Tariffs N45 N108 N135 N72 N225 N315



To obtain a free SwiftPass or eTag for your vehicle road users will need to register for a customer account at selected branches of First Bank UBA Zenith Bank Diamond Bank Fidelity Bank and Stanbic IBTC. They can also register for their accounts by visiting our Customer Service Centre located at the Admiralty Circle Plaza on Eti-Osa Lekki-Epe Expressway. A deposit of N1 000 per vehicle will be required on account registration; however 100% of this deposit (no fees or charges deducted) will be applied towards payment of the account holder's first tolls until the deposit is exhausted and the account needs a top-up.

Registered customers will be able to top-up their accounts over-the-counter at any of the above banks at our Customer Service Centre via our website (www.lcc.com.ng) or at ATMs.

Public Transport Discount

This discount applies only to commercial danfo minibuses. They will enjoy a 47% reduction off the standard toll tariff for vehicles in their class only if their vehicles are registered to pay for their tolls using eTag.

Frequent User Discount

Some road users make more journeys on the Eti-Osa Lekki Toll Road than others do. The Frequent User Discount therefore recognizes this by offering stepped reductions in the toll tariffs for road users registered to pay for the tolls using the eTag if in any given month they exceed the average user thresholds defined by LCC. The Frequent User Discount is in addition to the 10% discount already offered to eTag users. A "trip" for these purposes is each time the road user's vehicle passes through the Toll Plaza in any direction. A journey to and fro through the Toll Plaza will count as 2 trips.

No. of Trips in the Month Class M Class I Class II Class IIA * Class III Class IV
Up to 80 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
81 to 160 5% 10% 10% 3% 20% 20%
161 to 240 15% 30% 30% 6% 40% 40%
241 and 320 20% 50% 50% 9% 50% 50%
321 and above 25% 60% 60% 13% 70% 70%
* Commercial danfo buses already benefit from the 47% Public Transport Discount



Value For Money
Using saloon cars (Class I) as an example to illustrate the impact of the ePayment Price Incentive and the Frequent User Discount on the tolls road users should see from the graphical analysis that they will pay less the more trips they do in a given month only paying N43 per trip at the highest discount level; i.e. for trips occurring after the cumulative number of trips in a given month exceeds 320.

An eTag road user who drives a saloon car and travels from Lekki Phase I Estate to Law School and back 3 times a day 5 days during the week and 1 day at weekends will on average do a total of 144 trips in the month. The eTag road user's first 80 trips will be charged at N108 per trip while the remaining 64 trips will be charged at N97 per trip costing a total of N14 848 in tolls for the month.

The road user however is now benefiting from much faster journey times and lower fuel consumption than before the road was rehabilitated and upgraded. As already indicated some road users are reporting time savings exceeding 1 hour in one direction along this completed section of the road and also that the 4 kilometre distance from Lekki Phase I Gate to Law School now takes them 15 minutes most of the time. What this means is that they previously covered this distance at an average speed of approximately 3km/hr whereas they are able to achieve an average speed of 16km/hr now. A saloon car consumes petrol at a rate of approximately 4km/litre for speeds less than 8km/hour and improves consumption to approximately 8km/litre at a speed of around 20km/hr. At a price of N65/litre as petrol currently costs in Nigeria we calculate that the road user in the example above saves ½ a litre of petrol (N32.50) on each journey from Lekki Phase I Estate to Law School or in the opposite direction. This amounts to estimated monthly fuel cost savings of N4 680 for this particular road user which when offset against the tolls for the month will reduce the net monthly cost of the tolls that this particular road user pays to around N10 000 before non-fuel cost savings (e.g. value of time lower vehicle repair and maintenance costs improved quality of life etc) are considered.

If this road user finds himself or herself in distress and receives a complementary breakdown or tow assistance from the suite of 24/7 convenience services provided by LCC that alone could save the road user up to N50 000 for the particular incident; a single incident saving that by far exceeds the cost that this particular road user would have to pay in tolls in that month.

Toll Exemptions

Some road users are automatically exempt from paying tolls on Nigerian roads e.g. members of the Armed Forces and other government agencies performing civic/official duties under Statute (e.g. the Armed Forces Act). These include the Military Police Customs Prisons and Immigration.

Some other road users are conditionally exempt by virtue of Protocol Agreements entered into with LCC. These include LASTMA LASAMBUS Lagos State Water Corporation FRSC and the Lagos State Fire Service.

Please contact our Customer Service Centre if in doubt about whether exempt status applies to you.

Alternative Routes

Road users who do not wish to pay the tolls can avail themselves of alternative routes that will enable them bypass the Admiralty Circle Plaza but still return back onto the Eti-Osa Lekki Toll Road afterwards where they will continue to enjoy the benefits of the new road assets and the suite of services provided by LCC. See the diagram below. For example a road user travelling from Victoria Island to Lekki could turn right off the Eti-Osa Lekki Toll Road into Ligali Ayorinde Street take a left into Akinbolagbe Street turn right into Oba Oniru Road (driving by City of David Church) and continue to Oniru Market Road. At the end of Oniru Market Road a right turn takes you back onto the Eti-Osa Lekki Toll Road.


For more information about LCC and the Eti-Osa Lekki Toll Road Concession you can contact LCC by email (info@lcc.com.ng) by phone free-of-charge (0800 22 555 22 or 0800 CALL LCC) or in writing at the Customer Service Centre Admiralty Circle Plaza Km 3 Eti-Osa Lekki-Epe Expressway Lekki Lagos. You can also visit our website (www.lcc.com.ng).

Source: http://www.lcc.com.ng/News/default.aspx?Vids=aG8o5y5BmGs

Tolling to begin on Eti-Osa/Lekki road Jan 3
Okwy Iroegbu 16/12/2010 06:35:00


THE Lekki Concession Company (LCC), the concessionaire for the Lekki/Epe road, has said it will begin tolling on the road from January 3, next year.

Its Managing Director, Mr. Opuiyo Oforiokuma, said though the ongoing construction has moved beyond the completed road section 1 on kilometre 0-6 carriageway, ExxonMobil Bridge and Admiralty Circle Plaza, it would have one toll plaza for now.

He said this is in line with the terms of the concession.

Oforiokuma said tariffs would vary with classes of vehicles.

He said: "Standard toll tariff for motorcycles is N50; saloon cars, N120; sports utility vehicles (SUVs), mini-buses, pick-up trucks, N150.

Commercial passenger vehicles (Danfo) mini-buses will pay N80; light trucks and two-axle buses, N250 and heavy trucks and buses with two or more heavy axles, N350.

"Other than cash, road users can pay for the tolls, using electronic toll devices (swiftpass or e-tag). Payment incentives are offered to road users that pay for the tolls using either the swiftpass or e-tag."

Oforiokuma said swiftpass users would enjoy five per cent discount and e-tag customers 10 per cent.

He urged road users who want to opt for the electronic options to register at selected branches of First Bank, UBA and Zenith Bank.

Others are Diamond Bank, Fidelity and Standard IBTC.

The concessionaire said his firm realised that some people would use the road more than others, adding that frequent users would enjoy a special package called "the frequent user discount".

He said: "The frequent user discount recognises this by offering stepped reductions in tariffs to users registered to pay for the tolls using the e-tag, if in any given month they exceed the average user thresholds defined by LCC."



http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/news/21816.html

Toll collection to commence on Lekki-Epe road Jan. 3
By Samson Echenim
Thursday, 16 Dec 2010


The concessionaire handling the expansion of the Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lekki Concession Company, has said collection of tolls at the first toll plaza will commence on January 3, 2011.

Speaking to journalists in Lagos on Wednesday, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, LCC, Mr. Opuiyo Oforiokuma, said toll would be collected only at the Admiralty Circle Plaza for now.

According to Oforiokuma, while motorcycles will pay N50, saloon cars and tricycles will pay N120. Sport utility vans and minibuses will part with N150 at the toll plaza.

Light trucks and two-axle vehicles will pay N250, while heavy trucks and long buses will pay N350 each time they drive through the plaza.

Commercial buses, which will enjoy up to 47 per cent rebate if registered for the e-Tag payment system, will pay only N80.

Road users will have the privilege of choosing between cash payment, SwiftPass or e-Tag payment systems.

Oforiokuma said, ”Although the ongoing construction works had moved beyond the completed Road Section 1 -(Km 0-6) carriageway, expansion of the ExxonMobil Bridge and construction of the Admiralty Circle Plaza-the tolls to be collected at the Admiralty Circle Plaza from January 2011 onwards relate only to the completed Road Section 1, and not to uncompleted sections of the road.

”This is in line with the terms of the concession mandate granted to LCC by the Lagos State Government.”

He noted that in spite of resistance to the project, deployment of private sector resources remained the fastest and most effective way for nations to provide infrastructure.

”Many of Nigeria‘s roads are in visibly poor and unsafe condition for motoring, although road-based transportation accounts for over 90 per cent of the means via which people and goods are transported around the country,” he said.

A 17-man committee headed by the Director-General, Lagos State Public-Private Partnership Office, Mr. Ayo Gbeleyi, was set up in August to resolve agitations by the Eti-Osa community concerning the concession of the road.

The committee on Monday, presented its report, in which the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola upheld the changing of the name of the expressway to Eti-Osa Lekki-Epe Expressway.the Governor has renamed Lekki-Epe Expressway- Eti-Osa-Lekki-Epe Expressway.

The committee also recommended that only two toll points be built within the Eti-Osa Community, in which three toll plazas had initially been planned.

The third toll plaza initially proposed to be located near Abraham Adesanya Estate is now to be located further down the corridor within the concession area, but outside the Eti-Osa community, a statement from the office of the governor said on Tuesday.

While assuring quality service, the LCC chief executive said toll tariffs would be reduced as usage by individual vehicles increased, as the company had put in place a tolling system that would diminishe charges as frequency increased.

Historic poor road construction, lack of maintenance, lack of services, and lack of effective road management, are some of the factors that have contributed to the current situation. As has been done successfully in other countries around the world, the Federal and various State Governments of Nigeria are increasingly turning to PPPs as a means to close our country‘s large infrastructure deficit, including in roads, utilizing finance, technical and other resources from the private sector to achieve this.

Mr Opuiyo Oforiokuma, MD/CEO of LCC, explains: ”Tolling is a fundamental aspect of Toll Road Concessions, such as that under which the privately-financed rehabilitation and upgrade of Eti-Osa Lekki-Epe Expressway is currently being executed by LCC. Tolls are the main source of income from which investors like LCC are able to provide for the costs of the routine maintenance and future upgrades of the road assets, and eventually also recoup the costs of their investment and service the cost of the financing. Key benefits of tolling include the visibility between what road users pay and the quality and regular upkeep of the road assets and related
services provided by the Concessionaire, as well as the savings that road users enjoy in terms of improved journey times, convenience, safety, and reduction in travel costs such as fuel consumption, repairs, and vehicular wear-and-tear. There is also someone to hold accountable for the road and the services, which in this case, is LCC”.

Based on market and other research conducted in and around the Eti-Osa Lekki-Epe Axis, LCC forecasts that road users should enjoy estimated savings of N25 or more per kilometre each time they use the Eti-Osa Lekki Toll Road. For example, road users are already reporting time savings exceeding 1 hour along the completed Road Section 1 between Law School in Victoria Island and Maruwa Bus Stop in Lekki. Similar benefits will be derived on other sections of the road as the works there are completed. Time savings translate into tangible monetary benefits, especially for those whose earnings are time-related. Faster travel speeds translate into tangible fuel
savings as cars use less fuel at higher speeds. And the 24/7 convenience services such as route patrols and breakdown/tow assistance, which LCC has already provided to over 3,000 road users on a complementary basis, translate into tangible savings in costs that would have been borne by the assisted road users themselves.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201012166151396

The link is correct. Please check again.

Tolling to begin on Jan 3.

For some reasons I was actually expecting that the roundabout at Stillwaters would be located around NICON Estate.

@AjanleKoKo,

I actually thought about the convenience the Stillwaters/Chisco Roundabout will bring to you specifically the day I figured out that a roundabout was being creatd there. Congrats!

Similarly, a new roundabout is being created at Igbo-Efon junction.

The Spar junction and second roundabout are nearing completion.

The go-slow has resurfaced recently and may no abate until the old/Jakande Third roundabout is completed. Someone however remarked that the roundabout may not be completed until the footbridge at Jakande is completed to reduce fatalties from pedestrains crossing. Opening the roundabout now encourage motorists to speed past those places with heavy human traffic and without the footbridges, that would be disastrous.

Lagos to handover land to 257 Communities

Dec 7, 2010 By Monsur Olowoopejo

Lagos State Government on last Monday commenced inspection of 60 communities in the Lekki axis of the state in an effort which might lead to return of some portions of land to about 257 communities.

The state government however, warned villages, which had illegally encroached on land under acquisition to vacate such places until the state government grants them excision or face the heavy weight of the law.

Speaking at a press briefing held at the state secretariat, Alausa, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Fashola on Land Matters and Chairman of the Technical Committee on Land Excision, Mr. Aina Salami disclosed this while speaking about the state government’s plan to consider applications for land excision.

Salami said “About 257 villages across Lagos have applied to the state government to get more land for farming purposes but their application had not been approved by the Governor. Until the applications are approved, gazetted and Certificates of Occupancy presented to them, the villagers must desist from trespassing”.

He explained that the technical team would commence inspection of the affected villages to ascertain if they were qualified for excision, adding that “government would consider their applications with sincerity.”

His words “By Tuesday 7th December, 2010, the committee will visit Lekki axis where it will assess the population and number of houses in the villages. In our subsequent visits to Ikorodu, Epe and Badagry axes, the committee will duly inform the concerned communities ahead of our visit,”.

However, the Special Assistant explained that the visitation did not signify the approval of the governor to return the land in question but simply one of the stages in the process of considering their applications.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/12/lagos-to-handover-land-to-257-communities/

BEING THE Y2011 BUDGET PRESENTATION OF HIS EXCELLENCY, THE GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE, MR. BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA (SAN), DELIVERED AT THE CHAMBERS OF THE LAGOS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, ALAUSA ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2010


Honourable Speaker, distinguished members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, another full year has rolled by and in preparation for our service delivery commitment to our people, I am obliged to lay before this esteemed House the Budget proposals for year 2011 which is the fourth full budget of this administration.

Every one of those previous budgets were prepared and implemented in line with the Ten Point Agenda evolved by the immediate past administration and the manifesto of our Party, the Action Congress of Nigeria.

We outlined certain key goals and strategies that we intended to deploy as the critical vehicles to drive the Budget. These include aggressive revenue generation, completion of on-going infrastructure projects, maintenance of existing infrastructural facilities and public utilities, human capital and infrastructural development in the State’s Civil Service, mitigation of global warming through greening, beautification programme and other initiatives, Teachers’ Welfare enhancement, enhancement of community-based Vocational Education, sustenance/empowerment of farmers/fishermen for food production and processing, expansion/construction of new water schemes and sustenance of the State’s Free Healthcare Services.

As has been the tradition of this administration from the beginning, we have given account of the progress and challenges of policies and programmes, every 100 Days since then, explaining to our citizens how we have methodically pursued these goals and how much success we have recorded in all the sectors of our economy.

From November 17, 2009 when I presented the Year 2010 Budget thattill date, we have presented ourselves to the people on three occasions, adopting different strategies in our presentation, to account to them what we have been able to accomplish and to seek their suggestions and input in all sectors.

On the occasion of reporting during our 1,000 Days event, we met the State’s Public Servants to whom we dedicated the occasion. We told them that although we still have a lot of work to do, the result of our collective efforts have begun to bear visible fruits for all to see. That assertion was based on the major milestones which we have accomplished within that period in virtually all the sectors of the economy.

For instance, to fast-track our Micro-Finance Scheme which we have adopted to promote sustainable economic growth as a strategy to deal with poverty which abounds globally, on November 23, 2009, our administration handed out cheques totaling N175 million representing 50 percent counterpart fund to eight Micro-finance banks for the operation of the State’s Micro-Finance Scheme.

And in pursuance of our avowed determination not only to keep the State free from filth but to also turn the thousands of tonnes of waste generated daily in the State to wealth and opportunity for job creation, we signed a Memorandum of understanding with the Clinton Foundation and the Konsadem Consortium to develop the firstmodel integrated Solid Waste Management System in our country.

On February2, 2010 we commissioned and handed over the refurbished City Hall in Central Lagos and on February 4, 2010, we handed over 256 units of twin two and one bedroom flats in Igbogbo, a 100-bed Maternal and Childcare Centre (MCC), a Shopping Complex and a Drivers’ Institute all in Ikorodu Local Government Area of the State.

Five days later, we were at Isolo where we commissioned and handed over another100-bed capacity Maternal and Childcare Centre in Isolo and two million gallons per day Mini-Waterworks at Isheri-Osun.

We also inspected and took delivery of the first batch of the total 166, 629 desks and chairs which we have started supplying to public primary and secondary schools in the State towards the fulfillment of our commitment to ensure optimum comfort for our children in their schools.

The 1, 100 Days public account event was dedicated to the foreign diplomatic missions in the State.

The truth is that these diplomats must inevitably resort to the sub-national governments such as ours if they must get anything done for their nationals, corporations and staff in diverse areas. This makes them part of our local community which would be affected by our actions or inactions.

This occasion enabled us to account for our activities for the period between February 22 and June 2, 2010.

On March 15, 2010, during that period, we handed over to the State’s Fire Service, a series of new firefighting equipment consisting of two new aerial ladder platform fire trucks, one foam fire truck, five rapid response utility fire fighting vehicles and eight 10, 000 liter water tankers.

The following day, Tuesday, March 16, we were at the LTV 8 Blue Roof Multi-purpose Hall to commission the Eko Secondary Education Project. This project has the multiple objectives of improving the quality of Junior and Senior Secondary Education in the State, improving grants to educational institutions, supporting technical and vocational education as well as sustaining institutional reforms.

I am happy to report that from the supervision Mission Report of the World Bank forwarded to me a few days ago, the project implementation performance is rated as “highly satisfactory” in the words of the World Bank.

On Thursday March 18, at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, we announced the plan to empower 22, 000 allottees of Government Housing estates spread across the State by issuing them with their title deeds to enable them have for the first time acceptable documentation to their properties that can be used as collateral to support their families and businesses if they wish.

These were allottees who had acquired properties from Government before 31st December 1999.

I am able to report that 15,000 title documents are now ready for distribution in a process that will be notified to the public shortly. The process of converting dead assets to valuable working and life changing assets has thus taken off successfully.

We launched the N50 billion second tranche of our Fixed Rate Bond under our N275 billion Debt Issuance Programme on Monday, March 23.

Itwas first launched in 2008. It has a life span of seven years from, 2010 to 2017; while the first one has a life span of five years (2008 – 2013).It represented a strong demonstration of domestic investors’ confidence in the opportunities that lie in our economy.

Again on Monday, March 29 we commissioned the 1.5 kilometre upgraded Dr Nurudeen Olowopopo Avenue in Alausa while on April 28, the first phase of the New Oluwole Urban Market in Central Lagos was commissioned.

It was also during this period that Lagos hosted a very important international event which further brought her to global attention as a potential tourism destination of the world.

The third Black Heritage Festival, which was celebrated alongside the Lagos Carnival was perhaps the most colourful celebration of the rich and limitless resources of the Black Race.

For about a week, the streets of Lagos were adorned by colourful and resplendent youths dressed in locally made costumes who marched along marked routes displaying the rich cultures of our people in dances, drama and songs.

On May 13, we commissioned a 20-Bed Accident and Emergency Centre at the Lagos end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway help save lives of victims of road traffic accidents and other forms of trauma.

On Tuesday, May 25, 2010, we commissioned and handed over eight major roads and yet another 2 million gallon capacity Water Works to the Abule-Egba/Ekoro/Agbelekale and Ifako-Ijaiye communities.

We were at Badagry and Ojo on May 30 where we commissioned and handed over to the local communities a total of 11 projects comprising three major roads – Joseph Dosu, Old Cemetery and Market Roads streets and a Driver’s Institute in Badagry Town, a Micro- Water Scheme in Apa, a water transportation jetty in Igbo-Igele, a community hall in Ajara Agelaso while in Ojo Local Government Area we handed over a network of three roads – Shibiri Etegbin Road, Imude Road and Ajangbadi-Ilogbo Road as well as another 2 Million Gallon per day Mini-Waterworks in Ajangbadi town.

The Technical sector of our Educationsystem was given a boost also during this period as we inaugurated the pioneer Technical and Vocational Education Board in the State.

The reporting of the 1, 200 Days was held simultaneously in the three Senatorial Districts of the State on the same day. We chose to address the local communities in their own domains in order to enable them participate more meaningfully and in their larger numbers.

All the members of the State Executive Council were present at all the meetings where our people interacted with them and engaged them on matters which were of concern to them.

Also during this period which started from June 3, 2010, our administration commissioned a number of projects.

On June 10, for example, we handed over a total of 103 classrooms comprising of both rehabilitated and new classroom blocksat the Ikeja Cantonment and Agidingbi Grammar School.

82 of the blocks encapsulated ineight blocks were the rehabilitated and renovated blocks of classrooms destroyed in 2002 by the bomb disaster at the Ikeja Cantonment while the remaining 21 classrooms comprisedin a single block were commissioned at Agidingbi Grammar school in Ojodu Local Council Development Area.

On August 11, our administration again handed over the largest purpose built Court House in Nigeria - the Igbosere Magistrate Court named after the illustrious Hon. Justice J.I.C. Taylor of blessed memory.

We also commissioned a One-Stop-Shop administrative block building of the Lekki Free Trade Zone on August 19.

Other important activities during the period include the inauguration of the Lagos Boundary Committee on June 21, the signing into law of a bill on approved levies for Local Government Councils in the State on July 12, the signing into law of the Bill to Standardize Tourism and Hotel Practice in Lagos on July 19, the send-forth of 42 public school students toa Leadership Training in South Africa on August 2, the inauguration of committee on Lekki-Epe Expansion Project and the signing into law of the bill establishing State Mortgage Board.

Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members of the House, leaders of our party, the Action Congress of Nigeria, Ladies and Gentlemen, in pursuance of our goals, from this summary of our activities spanning approximately 300 days since the presentation of Y2010 Budget, it is indisputably clear that the objectives of that Budget of Consolidation, which was aimed at completing as many on-going projects were substantially achieved.

The result has been unflinching trust and support from the people, demonstrated by their voluntary payment of taxes, peaceful co-existence and increased participation in the democratic process.

Our commitment to the faithful implementation of every budget is evidenced by the quarterly budget review meetings which enables us know in the short term how the budget is performing. It is clear evidence, if any is needed, of the mindset of Government to always be pro-active rather than re-active.

The result has been a budgetary performance that continues to get better every quarter.

For example, while our first quarter review of the 2010 Budget showed a performance of 49 percentthe second quarter review of the budget saw the performance taking a giant leap of almost a hundred percent over the first quarter, posting a performance of 80 percent.

As at the end of the third quarter of 2010, the overall budget performance of the revised budget, following the approval of our Supplementary request, stood at 76%.

The impact of these budgetary performances is reflecting clearly in the lives of our people by the number of life changing projects completed and the policies that are making life better.

The milestones also include those in Transportation where the Lagos Light Rail project construction has now commenced, while the Badagry Road and Lekki Epe Expansion projects are making progress, while we have continued to modernize, expand and improve on the mode of transportation on land through our model brand, the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) which has now also become a global model, the Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority and the corporate taxis; and on the waters through our operational ferry services, and the Badore, Ipakodo and Osborne Ferry Jetties which are almost completed.

They include our vibrant transport management agency, LASTMA, which has succeeded in taking Lagos from the gloomy days of traffic jams to much improved traffic flow across the metropolis, saving thousands of Lagosians from stress and putting money in their pockets through much shortened travel time.

They also include milestones in the area of Security where the Rapid Response Squad has continually risen to the occasion of curbing violent crimes and emergencies in the State especially with the help of our toll-free 767 and 112 emergency numbers, with which Lagosians can contact the relevant agencies in times of distress.

Further evidence of our budget implementation success and its impact on real and ordinary people is the Agriculture Youth Employment Scheme, Agric YES where the first set of our 200 youth farmers have not only completed their training successfully, they have started producing vegetables and other farm products which makes us very proud of them and our involvement in the Scheme.

Our Administration in the last three years opted, by choice, for programmes and projects with the greatest positive impact on the lives of the people of Lagos State. We have sought to build on the worthy legacy of my predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We have expanded the capacity of our human resources, reformed the machinery and processes of governance, and achieved significant progress in our quest to renew/develop the infrastructure of the State. We have also paid great attention to the environment as well as created a much safer atmosphere for our people to live, work and play.

Other highlights of the budget performance include:

• Total Revenue - N207.649bn or 86%
• Recurrent Expenditure - N108.776bn or 81%
• Capital Receipts - N10.921bn or 51%
• Capital Expenditure - N127.245bn or 73%
• Financing Requirement - N 17.451bn or 38%

Given the clement weather in the last quarter of the year, we are striving to ensure that the full year budget performance reflects an improvement on these ratios. I would like to observe, however, that no other government in Nigeria is currently posting better budgetary performance than Lagos State.

THE Y2011 BUDGET

The Y2011 Budget is the last full year budget to be presented under the current term of this Administration. We have therefore been very painstaking and consulted broadly with relevant stakeholders in preparing the Y2011 budget proposals.

Critical meetings have been held by representatives of the Executive and Legislative arms of Government in preparing this budget.

The focus of the budget will remain, but not limited to, the following Key Sectors: Law and Order; Road and Transportation; Environment; Health; Education; Water; Rural Development and Agriculture.

This budget will seek to promote greater co-operation with the Local Governments and Federal Government, especially on roads rehabilitation and power sector reform, as well as entrenchment of Public Private Partnership (PPP) as alternative development strategy for Lagos infrastructure.

We will consolidate on our infrastructure programme and progress on-going project like the Lagos-Badagry Road, light rail (Blue Line) and Water transportation projects.

Mitigation of global warming would remain a key programme and we shall pursue our environmental mitigation and adaption activities. We shall also consolidate recently established critical and strategic agencies which include the Weather Agency, Lagos Safety Commission, Planning Permit Authority and Building Control Authority.

We will continue to pursue sustained improvements in crime prevention law enforcement and justice administration. The State’s Free Healthcare and Education Programmes will also be sustained, while the implementation of the multi-modal and Integrated Mass Transit Programme will be vigorously pursued.

The Government also intends to give teeth to its affordable housing programme by collaborating with financial institutions to establish a sustainable Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme.

The Y2011 Budget will be used to further the goals of job creation, poverty eradication and wealth creation by ensuring that at least two-thirds of the total capital expenditure funds are directed to the government’s priority areas.

This Government remains concerned about youth unemployment and will continue to implement and pursue policies and programmes that give these critical and important stakeholders of our society, the best opportunities to realize their potentials.

Fiscal discipline in all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) shall therefore be improved upon while ensuring that sustained, accelerated, broad-based economic growth with emphasis on increasing investment and strengthening of the rural economy is maintained.

MEDIUM TERM FISCAL FRAMEWORK (MTFF) 2011-2013

Mr. Speaker, Honourable members of the House, as you are aware, the Y2011 Budget was prepared within the Medium Term Fiscal Framework (MTFF) (Y2011 - Y2013).

This framework describes the overall level of resources projected that would be available to Government to fund its various financial activities over the next three years, including the level of debts to be incurred. In other words, the size of the proposed budget has been limited by our available resources and not our needs.

Let me now proceed to highlight our key goals/programmes/projects in different sectors of the State during Y2011:

GOVERNANCE:

We have come to terms with the increasing pressure on our staff for better service and the need for increased investment in automation through the use of technology and our Government will be actively pursuing ways and means to improve its e-governance capacity in order to respond to this growing demand for service.

LAW & ORDER:

In order to strengthen the capacity of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to enforce law and order, it is proposed to establish new Police Area Commands in the State during 2011. The State government will provide the bulk of the infrastructure for the new area commands, if we must deepen the spread and operations efficiency of security apparatus and agencies in the State.

Several ongoing Court Projects, as well as the Lagos Arbitration Centre, will be completed in 2011. We will also continue to equip and provide operational support for the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and OP-MESA (Joint Military Services operation), in collaboration with the Security Trust Fund.

ROADS AND TRANSPORTATION:

Over one hundred roads under construction will be completed in 2011, and a lot more attention will be paid to the rehabilitation, repairs and maintenance of inner road networks which has already began under the revitalized Public Works Corporation.

Our commitment to expand water transportation will see the expansion of the water transport routes beyond Ikorodu-Ebute Ero, Lekki to Victoria Island, Oworonshoki to Ikoyi, to Mile 2 to Marina, Badore to Marina and Ikorodu to Marina with the expected completion of all on-going major jetty projects.

ENVIRONMENT:

The System 5 Channelisation project, waste water treatment, Sewage treatment and equipment for solid waste management are some of the major projects to be undertaken or completed in 2011; while our State wide de-flooding and drainage clearing and maintenance programmes will continue to receive optimum attention.

EDUCATION:

Lagos State University, and the other tertiary institutions in the State, will receive additional support in the 2011 budget, especially in view of recent challenges with accreditation of some courses.

The schools rehabilitation programme, including construction and furnishing of new classroom blocks, where required, will also get significant budgetary allocations.

It is important of course to report as I have done in the past, that the various policies of Government ranging from the schools rehabilitation programme, provision of free text books, resuscitation of Voluntary Clubs, the Adopt-a-School programme, the training of teachers, and Eko Project have continued to make the right impact and yield results that are positive even if we are all anxious for a complete turnaround.

It is in this context that I report another growth in number of our students who passed the WASSCE with a minimum of 5 credits including English and Mathematics at one sitting has increased to 21.11%. This is up from 18.41% in 2009, 10.41% in 2008, and 7.58% in 2007.

While our students still need to be supported to overcome their weakness and ensure that they can combine Mathematics and English together in a minimum of 5 credits at one sitting, I must report that the percentage pass in English Language as a subject increased from 41.25% in 2009 to 77.57% in Year 2010, while the percentage pass for Mathematics increased from 22.48% in 2009 to 75.57% in Year 2010.

I am told that the impact of the free books and the improving condition of our school are accountable for this.

Perhaps the most significant result of all is that there was that no incident of cancelled or withheld result in Lagos in 2010.

HEALTH:

The LASUTH Annex at Gbagada; the on-going MCCs; Harvey Road Health Centre; rehabilitation of general hospitals and equipment of Primary Healthcare Centres are the major projects to be completed in the health sector during 2011.

Our various health missions which bring care and healing closer to our citizens will continue in the Year 2011 as will our preventive and advocacy strategy on blindness prevention diabetes and hypertension, cancer screening and many more.

We have made vast advances in the eradication of diseases such as polio and we intend to complete the mopping up to make Lagos and Nigeria Polio free.

We are intensifying our commitment to eradicating or curbing the contagion of malaria, through indoor residual spraying along with other forms of treatment that are globally acceptable to treating infected persons.

HOUSING:

The proposed affordable housing mortgage finance scheme is expected to commence during 2011.

Very importantly, a total of twenty-five housing project, expected to deliver over seven thousand housing units will be completed or substantially advanced in 2011 through partnerships with private developers.

This represents an important new strategy by the Ministry of Housing to expand the stock of housing in the State.

RURAL DEVELOPMENT:

The programme of integrated rural development, under which a range of infrastructure is provided in selected rural communities, will continue in 2011.

For the riverine communities in particular, we will continue to expand transportation jetties and electrification projects. This is expected to enhance living conditions in the rural areas and reduce the drift to the metropolis.

WATER:

One major area of focus in the Water sector during 2011 will be the expansion/rehabilitation of reticulation networks to take advantage of the enhanced water production arising from the completion of the dedicated Independent Power Project for Iju/Adiyan Waterworks.

The rehabilitation/expansion projects at these major waterworks will also commence in 2011. Additionally, three ongoing Mini-waterworks will be completed while several other mini-waterworks will be rehabilitated during 2011.

AGRICULTURE:

Job creation and food security are cardinal goals of our Government.

Agriculture holds bright prospects for employment of our growing youthful population. Our initiatives like the Rice-for-jobs; Agric Youth Empowerment Scheme (Agric-YES) and Livestock/Fish Farm settlements will therefore continue to receive attention in 2011.

POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROGRAMMES:

Our model of developing skill acquisition centres, with linkage to the Lagos State Micro-finance initiative, has proved very successful in making several of our youth gainfully self-employed.

In addition, schemes like the modern taxi owner-operator lease finance sponsored by the State have also recorded good results and will be continued.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT /JOB CREATION

We recently launched the Lagos Ignite Programme in partnership with the Afterschool Graduate Development Centre (AGDC) with the aim of providing employability training and conversion training for young graduates in order to get them jobs or re-orientate them towards areas where their skills are in need. We are pursuing the conversion programme as the quickest way to convert graduates to jobs in areas where skills are needed.

In our bid to ensure that our children receive good education, participate in sports and also get financial reward doing that, we have also inaugurated a football competition for our young people still in school known as the Lagos Junior League.

Other sports projects like the Street Soccer, Inter-tertiary schools games, Annual Boxing tournament, the Governor’s Cup and so many more will continue.

STAFF WELFARE

We have set up a State Commission to review wages and salaries as a solution to labour agitations arising from Federal Government review of its own staff salaries.

We are proposing a minimum of 20% and a maximum of 25% the latter for essential services as wage increase across board to be implemented upon approval of the budget.

We are conscious of and committed to the welfare of public servants but we remain evenly committed to the overall sustainability of the economy of the State to ensure that it is able to provide for all citizens whether in the public or private sector, by ensuring that our wage bills do not prevent Government from funding its commitment to other social needs of the entire population.

Let me say that as leaders, we have chosen to lead by example and this wage increase has no impact or benefit for all political office holders.

PROPOSED Y2011 BUDGET

Considering the Macro-Economic climate, the proposed Y2011 budget exceeds the Y2010 revised budget by 8.2%. A proposed budget of N445.180bn is hereby presented as summarized below:


Proposed Revised Y2011 Y2010 Change
NN %

TOTAL REVENUE - 352.320bn 322.027bn 9.4
(i) Ordinary Revenue - 262.620bn 234.027bn 12.2
(ii) Federal Transfers - 89.700bn 88.000bn 1.9

Proposed Revised
Y2011 Y2010 Change
NN %

RECURRENT EXPENDITURE -196.709bn 178.015bn 10.5
(i) Total Personnel Cost - 68.229bn 55.079bn 23.9
(ii) Total Overhead Cost -128.480bn 122.936bn 4.5


CAPITAL RECEIPTS - 19.261bn 28.372bn 32.1)
CAPITAL EXPENDITURE - 248.471bn 233.556bn 6.4
FINANCING REQUIREMENT- 73.599bn 61.172bn 20.3

When this budget increase is valued against the recent published inflation figures of about 13%, it will become manifest that the budget has not really increased.

We have revised the Capital to Recurrent ratio of 60:40 in 2010 to 56:44 in 2011. The shift towards recurrent expenditure is largely due to the significant growth in our personnel costs as our response to the demand of our workers for improved welfare and remuneration conditions.

There are also partly informed by the emerging recurrent costs of maintaining and staffing the various infrastructure projects we have embarked upon over the years that are now being put to use.

The deficit financing requirement proposed is N73.599bn which is 1.77% of the State’s GDP.

The components of the total overhead costs of N128.480bn are as follows:

Overhead cost - N69.809 bn
Dedication Account - N22.191 bn
Subvention - N24.430 bn
Staff Housing Fund - N0.050 bn
Debt Charge (External) - N1.050 bn
Debt Charges (Internal) - N6.958 bn
Debt Charge (Bond) - N3.992 bn

Capital Receipts for the Year 2011 Budget is put at N19.261 bnmade up of:

Grants - N4.194 bn
Investment Income - N0.275 bn
and Other Capital Receipts - N14.792 bn

Capital expenditure of N248.471 bn consists of:

Core Capital - N220.016 bn
Capital Development (Dedicated) - N14.442 bn
Grants - N4.194 bn
Counterpart Funding - N4.619 bn
Special Expenditure - N5.000 bn
Risk Retention Fund - N0.200 bn

The sectoral allocation of the Budget in size and percentage are as follows:

General Public Service - N112.608bn (25.3%)
Public Order and Safety - N12.763bn (2.9%)
Economic Affairs - N142.040bn (31.9%)
Environmental Protection - N36.390bn (8.2%)
Housing and Community Amenities - N26.761bn (6.0%)
Health - N39.888bn (9.0%)
Recreation, Culture and Religion - N6.880bn (1.5%)
Education - N61.713bn (13.9%)
Social Protection - N6.137bn (1.4%)

Conclusion

Mr. Speaker, honourable members of the House, ladies and gentlemen, in view of the State’s prime role in Nigeria and indeed West Africa, with the attendant challenges, the State deserves a compensatory share of resources such as Value Added Tax (VAT), Port Royalty, and others derived from this territory.

We must continue to make the point that the prosperity of Lagos is the prosperity of all Nigeria and vice-versa.

Lagos must be treated with special attention given its commendable role as the former capital of Nigeria and being the most populous State, with citizens from every nook and corner of the country, placing extensive pressure on our infrastructure and resources.

We are the only State that every Nigerian feels comfortable to refer to as a home. Indeed we pay the hard way for our success story as this has continued to attract migration to the State. However we will continue to tackle these challenges with uncommon commitment as we are determined to sustain the good works of our predecessors, and reward their enormous sacrifice.

I wish to state that the delivery of democratic dividends remains the cornerstone of our Government in the State and we have done this day after day working in the sun and in the rain for the past 1,295days. We have promised and we have delivered beyond our promise. I must therefore commend the citizens of the State for the unflinching and unwavering support for our efforts.

To our people, I pledge continuous service so that our State would remain the Centre of Excellence.

Let me conclude that we have evolved the transformation plan from the basic to the complex demands of our State.

We have developed strategies and process for ensuring that implementation takes place with reduced supervision and reduced costs.

We are engaging with the more complex challenges of planning and delivery fundamental challenges such as housing in an affordable manner, water supply to every home within a time frame of ten years from today, leveraging on the efficient collection of our solid waste to new levels of other multiple users, financing and completing the Lagos light rail project and others of its kind, integrating the completed jetties with roads, buses and water transport to complete the multi-modality of transport network.

This requires us therefore to be different in our approach and strategy from what others who have not achieved our kind of progress will be dealing with. Of course, you have my unflinching and irrevocable commitment to the brighter and rewarding future of Lagos.

I must therefore not pass on this opportunity to remind all of us, that the delivery of that future that we dream of has already started.

Its sustainability depends on the existence of a stable political climate built on strong democratic principles; of a free and fair election that produces leaders elected on the true votes of the people expressed at the ballot.

Nothing therefore can be more important for every Lagosian at this time than the opportunity to get involved in that process which starts with ensuring that we all make the participation in the on-coming Voters’ Registration our topmost priority for Y2011.

Mr. Speaker, Honourable members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, leaders of our Party, eminent lagosians, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I thank you all for your attention and wish you all a merry Christmas and prosperous New Year.

Eko o ni baje ooo!!!


Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN
Governor of Lagos State

December 14, 2010



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Lagos Assembly Raises Concern On LCC Operations
BABATOLA MICHAEL 02/09/2010 18:10:00

LAGOS, Sept 02, (THEWILL) - Lagos State House of Assembly today raised concern over the Lekki Concession Company (LCC) operations as the administration of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) failed to set up a board to monitor and supervise LCC activities as indicated in the 2004 Bridges, Roads and Highway Infrastructure (Private Sector Participation) Development Board Law.

This was expressed in a report of the House Ad-hoc Committee on Lekki-Epe Expressway Expansion Project, which recommended that the state government as a matter of urgency, constitute the board for Lagos State Roads, Bridges, and Highway Infrastructure (Private Sector Participation) Development Board Law, 2004, to monitor LCC activities.

The committee, headed by Dr. M.A. Balogun, also recommended that the state government should review the concession agreement with the Lekki Concession Company with a view to making the project more acceptable to the people and residents of the state.

The report, titled "Our Urgent Review of the Concession Agreement or its Outright Revocation", contains 26 recommendations bordering on the need for the Lekki Concession Company and Lagos State Government to make few adjustments to make the project acceptable to the people.

In the 12-page report, the committee added that the Fashola administration should "Urgently consider reviewing the concession agreement by shifting the third Toll Plaza located at the 23 km on the Lekki-Epe Expressway in Eti-Osa Local Government to possibly 35 km in the Ibeju-Lekki Local Government."

The committee directed the Lekki Concession Company to "furnish the Assembly with detailed particulars of users’ exemption from toll payment as enunciated in the concession agreement.

"The Assembly should look into the state Roads, Bridges, and Infrastructure (Private Sector Participation) Development Board Law with a view to amending the law in order to allow future concession agreements signed in accordance with section 6 (7) to be subject to the ratification of the Assembly.

"The state government should urgently consider the payment of compensation on land acquired along Lekki-Epe Expressway to the affected families, particularly around the second Toll Plaza. It should also expedite action on the construction of alternatives or access roads as stipulated in the concession agreement in order to ease the movement of the people.

"The state government should ensure that the rights of way are free from all encumbrances to enable Lekki Concession Company complete the project on time. The company should expedite action on the implementation of the Side Agreement signed with the Lagos State Government in December 2009 in order to provide alternative route free from tolling around the second Toll Plaza," the committee recommended.

The report of the committee indeed baffled Honourable Solomon Adeola (Alimosho Constituency). "That law was passed by this House specifically because of this project and if the board has not been constituted since 2004, who has been talking to the LCCI on government’s behalf?" he asked.

Similarly, Adedoyin Adeniyi, the minority leader said, "this is very important so as to protect the interest of our people because it means there is no regulatory body monitoring all the PPP projects in the state."

However, Kolawole Taiwo, the majority leader defended the non-composition of the board. "The reason the board was not set up is because of the deficiency in the law. It was created for one purpose and cannot be used for other PPP agreements."

He said the PPP bill currently before the House will better solve the committee’s recommendations that future concession agreement should be made subject to legislative approval.

But Adeola was not satisfied, saying, "If we have already a PSP law that is not functioning, how are we sure the PPP law will function as expected?"

Speaker of the Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji urged all parties to be cautious because "if the project fails, the entire black African countries should forget about international funding of PPP projects. We are sitting on a keg of gunpowder. We pray it does not explode."

http://thewillnigeria.com/business/5741-Lagos-Assembly-Raises-Concern-LCC-Operations.html

Don't politicise Lekki-Epe road concessioning —Speaker

Posted by Aliyu ADEKUNLE S on September 1, 2010 at 8:31pm in General

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Gbenga Akanmu

LAGOS—Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has urged Lagosians not to politicise the concessioning of the N50 billion Lekki-Epe Expressway.


Speaking when the ad hoc Committee on Review of the Petition, Lekki Epe Expressway Expansion Project presented its report to the House, Ikuforiji noted that the concession was first of its kind in Africa and if abandoned it would send wrong signals to the private sector and the international community.

He observed that there was still much work to be done to develop Lagos but cautioned that the government must find a way of easing the burden of Lagosians.
Ikuforiji said: “Lagos is the most buoyant state in the country in terms of internally generated revenue, yet there is no sufficient infrastructure in place.

“There is need for rich investment by multinationals on infrastructure, otherwise the state will still be struggling to provide infrastructure in the next 50 years.”
Chairman of the committee, Dr. Razaq Balogun, in his submission said according to the agreement, the Lekki Concession Company Ltd, LCC, was empowered to begin tolling on the road after completing zero to six kilometres stretch.

He noted that the company had fulfilled this requirement and received the certificate of completion, adding that all the company needed to do now was to give a 14-day notice before it starts collecting tolls on the road.

C'ttee's recommendations

The 16 recommendations of the committee adopted by the House include: government should initiate a forum to educate and allay the fears of all stakeholders like the Eti-Osa indigenes, LCC, etc; the Ministry of Information and Strategy should disseminate information continuously to inhabitants of the area on the project.

It also recommended that government and the LCC should work out an affordable tolling system, and that government expedite action on the construction of alternative access roads as stipulated in the concession agreement to ease the movement of people in the area.

The panel also recommended that the government should constitute a Lagos State Roads, Bridges and Highway Infrastructure (private sector participation) Development Board to monitor and supervise the activities of LCC and other similar public private partnership, PPP, agreements in the state, among others.

http://community.vanguardngr.com/forum/topics/dont-politicise-lekkiepe-road

Guys, I came across these news items on the Lagos Assembly' adhoc committee on the expansion of the road just this morning. The reported event  happened in September but I though I should post the news here to give a balanced view. All along, I thought the Assembly was doing little or nothing on the issue.

I am sorry if I misled anyone on that issue.

This is a press release from the governor's website. http://www.tundefashola.com/archives/news/2010/12/13/20101213N21.html

Let's hear what the 'stakeholders' have to say.

There are speculations that the recent speeding up of work on the chevron plaza was in anticipation of the submission of the report.