₦airaland Forum

What are the requirements?

^
It's a deeply entrenched culturen not limited to any particular media house.

You would be surprised that such "largesse" is actually considered a perk like in other institutions (public and private)

As one person is being removed, his/her succeessor thanks God for the "favour". Like they say, "if one person own no spoil, another person own no go good",which I don't subscribe to by the way.

Like someone asked on another thread, who is worse, govt or the people?

As someone with deep interest in current affairs, I would like to be provided with links to on-line forums like Nairaland where issues of developing countries are discussed (mainly the citizens of those countries, at home and in diaspora).

I am looking at Modernghana (which is more of a news site) for example.

Useful links will be apppreciated.

Thanks!

I asked for the source because the original post was obviously from a source other than the OP.

@op

Thanks

Source, please!

I didn't know that the Minna gift has cost Adebolu Arowolo (Editorial Board Chairman, Punch) his job. That's serious! Who broke this story anyway? I would be pleased but very surprised to know it was broken by a Nigerian newspaper!

We need more of such exposes as we approach the elections and beyond. Maybe people (politicians, journalists and others) would be more circumspect and professional knowing they can't do things with impunity anymore.

I shudder when I think of the dark days when we did not have independent news media. E.g the days we had only NAN, FRCN, NTA and papers controlled by a few mostly-tribal interests.

Re-read my post and noticed some typing errors. Sorry guys, I'm posting from a phone -not very convenient to edit!

I attempt to correct the errors in the original post.
Channels TV's sports desk regularly invites Gara Gombe, Gombe state FA chairman,  to Sports Tonight
where he exposes a lot of the undercurrents in Nigerian football. On monday night, he went overboard by speaking about the ignoble role of some journalists. When the heat was getting too hot, the presenters had to cut him short. The same presenters give him free reign when he exposes admninistrators and others. People protect their own!

These photo-op revelations are one of the reasons I like to quote sources on my posts so that you the reader can make up your mind what angle the writer is coming from.


There was a post about the escalator at MMA2 chopping off people's toes. When I read the story and the comments on it, I wondered if the posters thought of the possibility of the story being sponsored given Bi-courtney's (the concessionaire) many battles.

Anyone familiar with the Azu story would know that Babalakin (Bi-courtney's chairman) and the company were mentioned in the Azu saga (Azu wrote some negative stuff about Bi-courtney without getting the other side of the story).

While I generally agree with Jarus's analysis of the editorial bent of the country's news papers, I have learnt to read as many sources as I can get on any single story. This also explains why I post the same news story from as many sources as I can get.

I would therefore encourage posters of news stories to cite their sources and post from as many sources as possible.

1. Channels TV sports desk regularly invites Gara Gombe, Gombe state FA chairman, to Sports Tonight
t where he exposes a lot of the undercurrents in Nigerian football. On monday night, he went overboard by speaking about the ignoble role of some journalists. When the heat was getting too hot, the presenters had to cut him short. The same presenters give him free reign when he exposes admninistrators and others. People protect their own.

2. These revelations are one of the reasons I like to quote sources on my post so you the reader make up your mind what angle the writer is coming from.

There was a post about the escalator at MMA2 chopping off people toes. When I read the story and the comments on it, I wondered if the poster thought of the possibility of the story being sponsored given Bi-courtney's (the concessionaire) many battles. Anyone familiar with the Azu story would know that Babalakin (Bi-courtney's chairman) and the company were mentioned in the Azu saga (Azu wrote some negative stuff about Bi-courtney without even getting the other side of the story).

While I generally agree with Jarus's analysis of the editorial bent of the country's news papers, I have learnt to read as many sources as I can get on any single story. This also explains why I post the same news story from as many sources as I can get.

I would therefore encourage posters of news stories to cite their sources and post from as many sources as possible.

Great idea!

I have seen a number of these stray horses at Lekki.

I will surely contact you when necessary.

All the best!

^
Source:
Punch
 

Lekki-Epe Expressway toll - Govt versus people

By Olusegun Fakoya

 

Tuesday, 24 Aug 2010

^^^^




The raging controversy over the erection and collection of tolls on the yet-to-be-completed Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos State, Nigeria, is a classic example of the consequences of dearth of communication between the government and the governed. The imperative of communication has been brought to the fore by the rejection of the idea of toll payment by the residents of the area covered by the expressway. While the purpose of this write-up is not to look at the merit or demerit of the proposed expressway (and in sincerity, the whole contract issue relating to this road raises a lot of questions), the importance of respect for the citizenry on the part of those fortunate enough to be in government is a virtue that should be strenuously cultivated.


Lekki Toll Gate

The Lekki-Epe axis of Lagos State covers areas that include both the high-brow and the relatively impoverished parts of the state. It includes the wealthy, the intelligentsia and the struggling masses of Nigeria. In reality, the bulk of the population of these areas actually consists of the struggling masses – the subsistence farmers, the fisher men, labourers and what have you. The axis might appear affluent around the Eti-Osa portion, perhaps up to and including Sangotedo and Ajah; but a trip to the Epe end would tell a different story. I had lived around this area and travelled this road extensively.


While the efforts of the Lagos State Government in ensuring that segments of the state partake in industrial and economic development is commendable, the lack of adequate information, consultation and engagement of the people before the project was embarked upon was a great error. Gone are the days when governments in the country, in their wisdom, could unilaterally impose a conceived idea (no matter how well conceived) on the people without consultation. A successful idea has many stakeholders to contend with. While the decision to single out that area of Lagos for a Public Private Partnership (PPP) remains curious, the key issue involves the length of time granted to the concessionaire, Lekki Concession Company Limited, LCC, the content of the agreement between the Lagos State Government and LCC, the rate of construction of the proposed road and the haste with the implementation of toll collection by LCC.


The idea of Public Private Partnership is universally acclaimed and practised. However, for a Third World country like Nigeria, special efforts should be made by governments to ensure that its citizens are not subjected to undue exploitation. Experience has shown that government control and regulation of such projects when completed are practically non-existent. A 49.5 kilometre road was awarded at billions of Naira by Lagos State Government in its wisdom and for whatever reason to a consortium of questionable composition. This project was awarded in April 2006, and, as at now, only less than five per cent of the road had been completed. Yet, the concessionaire, LCC, is extremely keen to start toll collection with a test run completed on August 10. The issue of the slow rate of progress of work is one of the issues affected residents are concerned about. Not only this, the haste at implementing toll collection by LCC also brings a vital question to the fore.


The idea of Public Private Partnership is to provide a social amenity without undue financial strain on the part of government. The idea is to free scarce resources which can then be utilised in other areas of development. However, a situation where a 49.5 km stretch of road is only about five per cent completed with imminent toll collection is worrying. The main question here is this: was it part of the agreement between the concessionaire and the government that money raised from such toll collections would be used in financing the remaining parts of the road? The other issue is the length of time granted the concessionaire to operate the road before transfer to the government. Thirty years is no child‘s play. The other questions are: would the suffering residents of this area be subjected to three decades of exploitation by an obviously influential and powerful concessionaire before heaving a sigh of relief? Would they have to pay toll for almost three decades? At what point would toll collection stop?


The other area of concern is government seeming lack of respect for the inhabitants of the proposed road. There is a worrying government apathy and reluctance to address pertinent issues raised by the people of the affected area. The people‘s complaints centred amongst others on lack of communication and engagement on the part of government, the financial impact of double toll payment on a segment of the corridor, the reluctance of the government to provide an alternative non-tolled corridor and the seeming insensitivity of LCC to the people‘s rejection of the idea of multiple tolling. Merely appealing to the people to accept an intolerable idea as being done by Governor Fashola is just not the solution.


There is no doubt that a lesson would have been learnt by the Lagos State Government from this whole imbroglio. It is apt for the government to accept its mistakes and make urgently required amends. The best the government can do is to return to the drawing board and make efforts to reach out to the people in effecting a panacea for the issues at stake. Ignoring or simply using the paraphernalia of government to impose an unpopular policy or idea would negatively harm the legacies of the incumbent governor. There should be clear guidelines on when toll collection should start and for how long within the 30-year period of the agreement with LCC. Giving LCC power to operate unfettered would only impoverish the citizens tremendously. Are there control machineries in place? What is the rationale in collecting tolls on a road that is only five per cent completed? If premature toll collection is to finance the rest of the road, then why is the agreement with LCC fixed at 30 years? What does it cost the government to review the location, and in fact, the reduction in the number of tolling point on the road.

Source: Punch

Lagos lawyer and activist, Mr. Ebunolu Adegboruwa has sued LCC, LASG, Eti-Osa LG and others over the issues of toll collection on the expressway.

Among other things, he is asking the court to restrain the parties from collecting tolls on the road, dismantling the erected plaza, among other things.

Meanwhile, Governor Fashola has inaugurated the 15 man committee to iron out the issues. The committee has till the end of September to submit its report.

There was a J da Rocha Afodu who was at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos.

I believe that must have been one of his descendants.

It would be best for NLanders to desist from posting instead of denigrating people.

We ought to share ideas and knowledge rather than dragging this forum into the cesspit!



Home » News categories

Gabby: Ghana's 2008 Election was Flawed


Politics
Saturday, August 21, 2010
By: The Statesman








Gabby Otchere Darko: Executive Director of DI

The Executive Director of the Danquah Institute has said that the 2008 general elections of Ghana had so many flaws and that he fears the country is not showing any serious interest in putting measures in place to avoid that in 2012.

“Even though every vote was seemingly counted not every vote counted in the final analysis. And, if every vote counts then not every vote was properly counted in 2008. Both parties must be blamed but what are we doing now to cut out that cancer of electoral malpractices from our system for the future? We musty wake up now, start thinking and working on it,” he urged all stakeholders.

Addressing the Africa Media & Democracy Conference with an audience of international journalists, academics and NGOs, Mr Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko referred to US President Barrack Obama's landmark visit to Ghana in July 2009 to “”lift up successful models,” but warned that despite Ghana's glowing reputation, “Ghana's democracy shares more with its neighbours than many would like to admit. Not many of you may know but we got so close to a civil war.”

He said, “Ghana's 2008 presidential election held the potential to deliver violence instead of peace, anarchy instead of order, regression instead of progression. A military takeover could not even have been ruled out, a point people privy to national security intelligence reports would find difficult to challenge. But, what lessons have we learnt from it as we look ahead to 2012?”

Mr Otchere-Darko called for greater vigilance and positive pressure to ensure that the Electoral Commission receives the necessary funding to undertake necessary reforms, such as a cleaner and credible voter register based on biometric data.

“But, the signs are not good. The way Government has been slow in funding the much-delayed District Assembly elections does not augur well for the critical processes to 2012.”

Speaking on the theme: 'Informing Responsibly – How the Media Covered Ghana's 2008 Elections ', Mr Otchere-Darko said, “I find it sad that today we all seem to have forgotten how close a significant section of the media and some political parties got us to killing each other. We've forgotten the FM calls that incited foot soldiers to march to the Electoral Commission with cudgels, machetes, sticks and stones. We've forgotten the dread that grip the nation.”

 

He continued, “We've forgotten how election results that had been counted at polling stations changed at collation centres in such a razor thin. Surely, we cannot forget how some nine or so neighbouring constituencies in a particular region prosecuted a systematic illegal strategy of preventing polling agents of a particular party from undertaking their functions.”

Mr Otchere-Darko warned that 2012 could take Ghana beyond the brink if the weaknesses that facilitated the electoral fraud , intimidation and violence of 2008 are not resolved.

His fear is that “To have such a large scale electoral violence in Ghana may even be worse than what we saw in Kenya or Zimbabwe because in Ghana, events have shown that no ruling party can say it has a monopoly on the allegiance of the security agents when it comes to elections.”

He added, “Beyond that none of the two main political parties can claim any exclusive illicit rights to rigging, whether in government or opposition.”

There is no guarantee that the main opposition party today will not for 2012 assume the kind of dangerously militant posture and speak the kind of language that got Ghana so close to a Kenya , he argued.

“We cannot rule out the possibility of today's main opposition party assuming an even more militant posture in 2012 than what struck awe and fear in many Ghanaians and international diplomats and observers last December,” the Executive Director of DI said.

He said, the fact of a massively bloated voter register in 2008 gave a legitimate bases for the politicians and their media collaborators to psyche up the Ghanaian public, including their ethno-political sympathisers in the security agencies, that a rival party was planning to or indeed rigging the elections.

Mr Otchere-Darko advised that 'We should not leave it to the politicians for us to determine the fate of the electoral process and its integrity; we should force it on them because given the chance any political party in any given democracy would rig.”

The Executive Director of the policy think tank said, “Thankfully, Ghana has decided to introduced a biometric voter register. But, I'm afraid if we may not get there.”

His fear is that without sustained pressure the excuse of lack of funding may be used to frustrate the multi-million dollar biometric registration exercise. Experts put the cost of registering some 12 million voters between $20-35 million.

“As at now the District Assembly elections that were to take place in July, then August has no fixed date because the Electoral Commission has not received full funding for it,” he said.

“What is the guarantee that a similar fate may not befall the biometric voter registration, which may require a whole year to implement?” the DI boss remarked.

He told the audience that Ghana may be ahead of the African pack, “But we still have a long road ahead of us and the future of our democracy is by no means certain.”

Mr Otchere-Darko shared a panel with Baffour Ankomah, Editor of the New African Magazine, UK, Nana Serwa Acheampong, and Prof Kwame Karikari. The programme was chaired by Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere.

The 3-day conference 'Mediating Democracy in Africa' was held at the NIC Conference Hall, Independence Avenue, Accra from 18-20 August.

It attracted speakers and participants from across the globe.

The founder and director of the Africa Media & Democracy Conference, Barima Adu-Asamoa said a “vibrant and healthy democracy can be sustained and enhanced by a responsible media,” adding, it is important to “examine the manner in which the media impacts on the democratic process. It is in this respect that this conference assumes relevance.”

 

Source: The Statesman of Ghana

I remember hearing that when I was growing up!

Sorry Dis Guy, I am currently not on ground (on vac) so can't give an accurate account.

Anyone with info on this?

The company used to be Multi-links until it was bought over by Telkom of South Africa.

I also felt offended when I first heard the advert.

Ribadu never worked for BPE. He was in the Police Force before going to start EFCC. He only used the BPE office before he got an office for EFCC.

Tkb417, idpaul & tpiah

Spot on!

Btw gar3th, there are no serious right of way issues along the coast so the issue of pulling down houses or relocating utility lines do not arise.

Good points GAR3TH.

These are the reasons I have always feared that the alternative coastal road will either not get done in time (read 20 years?) or will not be done at all.

Why would they provide a toll free alternate when they want to re-coup their investment quickly?

Add to that that the cost of building a brand new road on such a terrain as the shore-line will be humungous.

Sorry about the wrong spelling in my first post.

The school is called ADRAO and I think it was founded in 1963.

One of the As in the name stands for Afodu.

Omololu Mulele died within the last three years.

His daughter was the proprietress of ADRAO school beside NTA at Victoria Island.

I think the the name of the school comes from her name - Abimbola Da Rocha Afodu Omololu.

She presented the queen with flowers at the airport when the queen visited Nigeria in the 50s.

In a telephone interview with STV yesterday, the MD of LCC explained that the essence of having three toll gates is to spread the toll to be paid by users (I.e reduce the fare at each gate) instead of users having to pay a single large amount at one point.

Lekki residents stage protest, dare Fashola over toll gate levy
By OLUWOLE FAROTIMI
Friday, August 20, 2010



Residents of Lekki and Ajah communities on Thursday staged a protest to express their misgivings on the toll proposed by the concessionaire of the ever busy Lekki-Epe Expressway on motorists.

The protesters had in the early hours of yesterday laid ambush on the road ahead of the Lagos State governor’s visit to the zone brandishing placards with inscriptions such as “ Fashola we know your hands are tied but help us to fight these tyrants”, “LCC is here to rip us off,” “We are being enslaved in our land,” “Remove your gates from our roads and go,” among others said they would resist the state government and the concessionaires in their bid to impose the toll on them.

According to their spokesman, Mr. Adewale Sanni, the governor had no other option than to urgently look into the various issues raised or face civil unrest from the people. “The governor has assured us he would look into the matter and set up a committee on the issue. But he said that before. Therefore, we were surprised that the tolling plan was on in spite of the opposition by the people. We feel his hands are tied. But the people will not be taken for granted,” he threatened.

He said the protest staged yesterday was a signal to the government which was laying claim to democratic credential to feel the pulse of the people and do what was right, adding that the issue remained that the concession programme was shrouded in secrecy and not transparent.

Addressing the protesters, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola appealed to the residents for understanding on the concession initiative of the government on the road, assuring that the grey areas causing their agitation would be sorted out to the benefit of both parties. The governor explained that the tolling of the road was in order to enable the concessionaire recoup the investment it made, adding that although it may not be easy initially, the long-term benefits to the community would far out-weigh the challenges.

He said although it was a novel idea in Nigeria, tolling had been employed across the globe to execute multi-million dollar projects with far-reaching socio-economic gains adding that in other jurisdictions apart from Nigeria it had worked as alternative of road development. The Lekki-Epe Expressway was given to Lekki Concession Company (LCC) in collaboration with Lagos State government to develop the road as part of plans to ensure rapid transformation of Lekki Peninsula into a world-class free trade zone.

Source: Sun newspaper

Lagos-Badagry road is being expanded to ten lanes though not concessioned.

Will it be tolled?

Just wondering,

Lekki-Epe express road concession critical to success of LFTZ, says Fashola

Friday, 20 August 2010 01:14 Joshua Bassey & Austin Imhonlele



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…commissions administrative block of LFTZ 

Even as hundreds of residents of the Lekki corridor took to the streets on Thursday to protest tolling on Lekki-Epe express road, Governor Babatunde Fashola has hinted that the success of the multi-billion naira Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) and economic prosperity of that area of Lagos is tied to the successful execution of the road project by the concessionaire- Lekki Concession Company (LCC).

This is as a fundamental step towards the full realisation of the dream of the LFTZ was taken on Thursday with the commissioning of the administration block of the complex, even as over 70 investors in diverse sectors of the economy have declared strong interest in doing business at the zone said to be the largest in sub-Sahara Africa.

They include oil and gas, manufacturing, tourism development, building construction, textile, leather, rubber, electrical/electronics, among others. Among the incentives investors at the trade zone are to enjoy include 100 percent repatriation of profits and dividends (if the investor so wished), 100 percent foreign ownership of investments, 100 percent tax holiday, 100 percent permission to sell manufactured, imported and assembled goods in the domestic market, 100 percent restriction free to hire foreign employees, waiver on all expatriate quotas for companies operating in the zone, among others.

Commissioning the facility which is also to serve as one-stop-shop for would-be investors, with the Customs and Immigration Services as well as Nigerian Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA) already on ground to facilitate easy documentation, Fashola said if Nigeria must develop and compete with successful economies around the world, the citizens must be ready to make the required sacrifices such as accepting tolling on the Lekki-Epe express road in the interest of the economy.

The governor who appealed to aggrieved persons to channel their complaints to the committee recently constituted to look into such complaints, said the ongoing reconstruction of the road by the concessionaire is critical to the success of the trade zone.

He noted that the redevelopment of the road and ongoing expansion of Lagos-Badagry road are envisaged to facilitate the transportation of goods in and out of the free trade zone and further open up the economy of Lagos to the world.

Source:Businessdayonline.com



Friday, August 20, 2010 07:38





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Investors worry over Lekki free trade zone

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By Gbenro Adeoye

August 20, 2010 12:25AM

One of the objectives of the Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) is to “create an economic haven” in Lagos and attract local and foreign investors, but these objectives appear threatened, given the challenges prospective investors say they could face at the zone.

Chief among their concerns, expressed during the Investors Forum held at the zone yesterday, were power supply and roads, which some of them identified as integral to the success of the plan.

According to Yogesh Yengel, the general manager of Insignia Prints, one of the five companies already set up in the trade zone, said he was looking forward to seeing how the project develops, “the poor state of power supply in the country should be given more attention.” Mr Yengel commended recent efforts made by the state government in road construction, but berated the state of power supply.

“We need power within the zone; somebody who will give us power resources. Government is already working on road, though not all, but we want somebody who can supply us with continuous power supply,” said Mr Yengel.

He added that in the meantime, his company would rely on generating sets, but warned that “it should not be continuous; if we want to continue high growth in the industry, we need constant power supply.”

First phase kicks off

The zone which comprises 16,500 hectares of land to the southeast of Lagos, is expected to attract investments in oil and gas, food and beverages, agro-processing, clothing and textiles, retail, pharmaceuticals, housing and tourism, amongst others. The project’s first phase kicked off yesterday with the commissioning of the “One Stop Shop and Administrative Complex of LFTZ” by the state governor, Babatunde Fashola.

However, a local investor who came “to check things out”, Jude Ohiri, had said the traffic situation on Lekki-Epe Expressway, leading to the zone from the city centre “is something to be worried about.” “I see that they have started to expand the road, but it doesn’t look like it’s enough to stop the situation there,” he said.

However, Mr Fashola, while speaking to journalists after the commissioning exercise, described traffic congestion as “a sign of prosperity” in the affected city.

“Traffic jam is a sign of development; there is traffic jam in Beijing and you will not find traffic jam in the desert,” he said.

Mr Fashola, however, assured investors that “all of their concerns will be dealt with”, citing the ongoing road expansion along Lekki-Epe Expressway as one way his administration is rising to the challenge.

Mr Fashola also called on more investors to take advantage of what he described as “the biggest market in Nigeria, with 140 million people and Lagos has 18 million of that figure.” He added that his government will make use of the media and the Internet to continue to publicise the importance of investing in LFTZ

Source:234NEXT



Friday, August 20, 2010 07:13





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The residents who referred to themselves as “indigenes of Eti-Osa”, declared their rejection of any additional financial burden that the proposed tolls will have place on them. Photo: GBENRO ADEOYE

Lekki residents protest planned road toll

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By Gbenro Adeoye

August 20, 2010 12:31AM

Residents of Eti-Osa East and West Local Councils in Lagos State yesterday blocked traffic along the Lekki- Epe expressway to protest plans by the state government to collect tolls from vehicles plying the 24km road. Workers, students and other commuters were stranded as the residents, who have always threatened to halt the plan by Lekki Concession Company (LCC) to begin the collection of fees on the expressway, took to the streets carrying placards. The communities along the road have previously made several calls to the Lagos State government to stop the concession company which reconstructed the road, giving it six lanes, to erect toll gates along the path in order to recoup its investments. During yesterday’s protest march, the people, who referred to themselves as “indigenes of Eti-Osa”, said they could not afford the additional financial burden that the proposed tolls will place on them. Carrying placards and chanting various songs, the participants - in a rather peaceful protest - made their way to Jakande junction of the road, where they waited for the state governor, Babatunde Fashola, who was billed to pass the road on his way to the Lekki Free Trade Zone to attend an investment forum. “We are not going to pay any amount on this road,” said Ismail Oladipupo, one of the protesters. “We are having this protest to draw attention to this area; when the protest affects economic activities, people will realise what we can do when they start to collect money at the toll gates.” The state government in April 2006, signed an agreement with Lekki Concession Company (LCC) under the Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) scheme that would span a period of 30 years; an agreement which allows the company to upgrade and expand the busy road and recoup its investment before ownership reverts back to the government. The company is currently test-running its facilities at the newly constructed toll gate, but the residents said two additional gates are being proposed by the company. The company is yet to say the amount that will be collected as toll from motorists, but the residents fear it would range from N100 to N250 per toll. “How can we be paying at three gates? We reject any amount, even if it’s N5. This is because any additional financial burden will tell on everything, from the transport fare, to the price of pepper, clothes, and everything. We reject this commercialisation in our area,” said Bashiru Ahmed, an elderly man who was part of the protest march. The protesters were also critical of the government for endorsing the arrangement in their area, saying they are being used as guinea pigs. “Why here?” a youth, Adamson Kamorudeen asked, “Why not elsewhere. LASU/Iba road recently also constructed by the state government did not have anything like this.” Protest not necessary Mr. Fashola, whose motorcade was held up for hours by the protesters who accused him of insensitivity, eventually showed up and was forced to address the protesters who had waited for about two hours, cramming the road and blocking movements. However, his appeal and admonition were buried by shouts of “No toll gates” from the protesters. In his address, Mr. Fashola blamed the protesters for the traffic congestion caused by the march. He, however, assured them that a committee had been set up to look into the issue. “This protest is not necessary,” he said. “This is a commercial issue, don’t turn it into a political issue. I don’t think it is fair to paralyse this road; people are going to earn their livelihood; children are going to school.” His address did not however appear to have ended the matter although the protesters agreed to allow free flow of traffic afterwards. Some of the protesters and their leaders who remained on the scene after the governor left, accused Mr. Fashola of insincerity. “Yes, he has asked us to nominate people for the committee which we have done since, but we have not heard anything from him since we forwarded the document to them,” said Babs Akinlolu, who identified himself as a former executive director of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). Some of the motorists whose movement were affected by the protest sympathised with the Lekki residents. “It will affect me; it will affect my business. I am surprised that this government is not thinking about the poor masses at all,” said a trader, Emeka Ofor. Testing the waters As a way of sensitising motorists to its readiness to begin the collection of tolls on the Lekki-Epe expressway, the company last week began the distribution of leaflets at one of the three toll gates. In the leaflet, it spelt out the key benefits of the project and payment method of the charges, among other details. The company had earlier fixed May, 2010 as the commencement date for the toll collection. In reaction to the company’s move, some members of the Eti-Osa community at a forum organised to convey their grievances over the company’s plan to go ahead with the toll, resolved last week to stop the plan. Residents claim that at a meeting between them and Mr Fashola on July 20, 2010 it was resolved that a committee be set up to settle the issue of paying tolls on the road. At the meeting, it was also agreed that another road, which would serve as an alternative route, would be made toll-free. But part of the information on the leaflet, however, showed that the coastal road which is supposed to serve that purpose for those who cannot afford to pay the toll fees, would no longer be free. “This is reckless, arrogant and provocative, and we wonder who else LCC will respect or listen to if it can afford to ignore the governor and the House. LCC is part of the committee just as it has been invited by the House committee in order to assist its finding. So why the test run?” said Adewale Sanni, the convener and spokesperson of the Eti-Osa forum. Another resident, who asked not to be named, equally expressed dismay at the development. “It is going to inconvenience people, because to pay from here to there is not fair. The access road that is supposed to be an alternative, you will also have to pay toll, so what are the options? The one you have now is at Oniru side and around Jakande to come in and out of Lekki. But the roads are very bad, and I wouldn’t want to spoil my car. Those who cannot afford to mess up their car will be forced to pay the toll and I would prefer to travel on a straight road. I just think it’s not fair.”

Source: 234NEXT

Turns out the protesters actually targeted Gov Fashola who was on his way to open the admin block of the Lekki Free Trade Zone.

He was able to calm the protesters down and continue his trip to the FTZ.

He who fights today and runs away lives to fight another day.