₦airaland Forum

seanet02:
@justcash, yes you prove another point, w[b]hile the YORUBA were busy siting industries in lagos [/b]to boost the gross domestic product of the nation your people were busy importing goods [/b]that are destroying the naira day in day out, [b]you import generators yet you claim innocence of the blown us gas pipelines, if their is 24hrs electricity and people turn your generators into garbage, what will you people eat since you know nothing than importing second class cloths, phones, generators? Dont be a dreamer ibos can never own lagos. Justsleep

How many of the industries in Lagos are owned by Yorubas? Or do you call the "dodo' roasting corners industries? Cos sincerely that is the type of industries I see your people in more. However, Igbos own more industries in Lagos than Yorubas. Fact!
Igbos import, yes you are right. You buy what we import. That is also right. So why should we stop to import when you buy? We Import low quality products because your people cannot afford (are too poor) to buy the products of high quality. Does that make sense to you? About power, ask your brother, OBJ, who was the minister Monster of ministry of power, why he could not rectify the power issue, yet spent more than 20 billion dollars on it. Ask him Why Ota farm was growing while the power sector was getting worse. We import generators because we know that with your people always scrambling for power, and having an upper hand, there will never cease to be opportunities for the importation of generators.

National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, took his message of change in the party several octaves high on Sunday night when he threatened to disgrace those who still bring “Ghana-must-go bags” to him. He also warned PDP governors and other aspirants for political offices to stop visiting him in his house.

He spoke to an elite gathering of party chieftains and editors in Lagos on his 40th day anniversary in office.
Nwodo, who was agitated, spoke with revolutionary fervour. He said: “In spite of my directives on my inaugural day that people should not bring “Ghana-must-go” bags to our office, they are still doing that. Anyone, who tries it again, I’ll disgrace him publicly.

“[b]I have told our governors not to come to my house. If they want to see me, let them come to the office. Aspirants should not come again to the secretariat. Let them go and campaign, win the people’s hearts. Our primary elections’ll be transparent. You don’t need to see anybody, and nobody will change your result,” [/b]he said.
Unveiling his new agenda for change, Nwodo, who was National Secretary of the party for three years, said a mini-convention is being planned for next month to give bite to the new vision and “remove the last vestiges of the cabal” that has made it impossible for the best materials to fly the banner of the party.

He regretted that a few people have held the party and country to ransom over the years, despite the lofty dreams of the founding fathers.
Affirming his burning desire to get the party back on track in the best traditions of democracy, he spoke of far-reaching plans to halt the image of a “winning machine” [/b]which it has earned for itself, saying: “We won elections, but not the hearts of the people.

[b]“We now want to win their hearts – no more a winning machine, and running civilian dictatorship.”
He said the envisaged reforms would be all-encompassing, beginning from the national secretariat with the soul aim of re-inventing the PDP.
“We want people to know the meaning of the colours of the party, its manifestos, and the umbrella symbol.
“We chose the colour white because this country has seen blood through colonialism and civil war. We want peace. We chose red because of the sacrifice of our leaders past, who fought and died for its unity.”

He warned that those basking in the magic of godfatherism, or use of national might to write results for them have missed it; advising all political office aspirants to work hard, campaign and win.
He lamented that the dream of making Nigeria a referral centre on health matters conceived in 1998 was aborted.
On the primacy of the party manifestos in the new scheme of things, Nwodo warned that nobody will fly the party’s banner again without reading and comprehending its manifestos.

“This is the covenant we have with the people. Time has gone when all those things happened. All they had was a mandate to line their pockets, to remain in office at whatever cost, and to settle their godfathers.
“We are working with experts to reform and update our manifestos, to make it workable. We have to make a change. There’s nothing absolutely impossible to do in this country. PDP has resolved to call upon courageous men and women, who can do it.”
Nwodo said plans were under way to embark on aggressive membership drive and on-line registration of faithful to advance the goals of inclusiveness and independence.

He said, “because elections were no longer competitive, attention was focused on how to get into the cabal and share the resources of our nation.
“No one can run this party anymore as a personal property, choosing, who to belong to the party and who will not.”
He said the membership registration fee of N1,200 and 5 per cent of the salaries of office holders were now compulsory to accelerate its financial leverage.
“Financial independence of the party will make it impossible for some people to control it. He who pays the piper dictates the tune. We will finance our candidates to a reasonable extent. We don’t want interferences by governments and moneybags.” Nwodo noted that the proposed constitution amendment next month will outlaw thuggery with a penalty of instant disqualification for aspirants found culpable.

He said that since President Goodluck Jonathan has vowed to deliver credible, free and fair elections next year, no stone would be left unturned in achieving it.
“The culture of indignity must go. If people do it elsewhere, why can’t we do it?
The slogan “power” had been cornered by godfathers and godmothers.”
He appealed to the media to assist in the new drive for a decent democratic culture, vowing to be willing to pay the supreme sacrifice in its pursuit.
“I took an oath in my church in Enugu before the blessed sacrament that a mustard seed must die for a new tree to grow. I offer my life, so that we can have great men to lead this country.”

[quote author=bk.babe97y link=topic=489449.msg6500257#msg6500257 date=1280805108]Ok lemme get this straight: THIS ONITSHA!!!
https://www.wief.net/images/otumoyecreek02.gif

And this is LAGOS. . . .
https://img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2010/06/23/12335-lagos.jpg
LOOKS TO ME LIKE YALL IBOS GONNA CATCH UP IN LIKE. . . . . FOREVER YEARS FROM NOW!!![/quote]LOL! The Super Latino Lady with a D'ic-k called BK/Male Babe 97, 80 etc is claiming Yoruba!!!!! Hahahahahhahahahahah!
Just so that you'll know, Lagos is the capital of slums in Nigeria. The pix of Onitsha that you posted is like a lovely garden compared to the slums in Lagos. Dnt wanna show pics, cos I'd throw up. The sight of you alone is making me wanna throw up cos you are a filthy slum the way you are. St'up'is A's's Mofo!

"Enugu state government patronizing made in Nigeria Buses," Would have been a more suitable and catchy title.

This is a step in the right direction. Worth applauding!

[b]I really don't know if Igbos make up 50% of Lagos state. What I do know is that the number of Igbos in Lagos state is very horrifying. I mean, Igbos are so much that some actually look yoruba, and refuse to acknowledge that they are Igbos. There are many Igbos in Lagos state that doesn't speak Igbo.
As for the last Census, I was counted in my home in Lagos. I am aware that many of my relatives were also counted outside Igbo land. The fact that Igbos have the single biggest population in Nigeria is not supposed to be argued. Tell me where you cannot find an Igbo man. I am not talking of abroad now. I am talking of inside Nigeria.
Do you know that I saw like 200 Igbo families in my last visit to Ipokia Local government area of Ogun state? Ipokia is an LGA that is deep in a very unrecognised area in Ogun state. The reason why Igbos are there is because it is a border town to benin republic.
I doubted if there was gonna be any Igbo person when I went there, untill I went to attend a sunday mass at a catholic church in Idiroko. I even saw many Igbo owned restaurants that prepare typical igbo meals. I was dumbfounded!
Just like Ipokia, there are tens of millions of Igbo people outside Igbo land. If Nigeria is counted properly, Igbos will surpass any other tribe in population. However, Igbos don't consider population size a thing of pride. It is all about money. Just the cash!    
[/b]

The answer is because Nigerians hate themselves. Hausas, Yorubas, Igbos, Efiks, Ijaws and other tribes in Nigeria hate themselves. When you don't like yourself how do you expect other people to like you?

Gbawe:
Some of una sef !!!! "So Ghana is not to blame for anything"? Ghana can woo Glo to come to Ghana at huge expense only to then begin sabotaging Glo's efforts and yet you contend that "Ghana is not to blame for anything" ?

Some of you should neve be high Court judges because your sense of fairplay, equity and justice for all sucks !!! Regardless of Nigeria's internal problems no nation is doing its citizen a favour by openly encouraging an agenda of xenophobia against Nigerians and their interest.

@Gbawe; if you read my piece properly, you will see that I specifically pointed to the fact that Ghana has the right to attract them. It is now left for the company to evaluate the potentials by themselves, and make a decision. But, GHANA HAS THE RIGHT TO PLAY THAT GAME. THEY CAN ATTEMPT TO TAKE AS MUCH AS THEY WANT FROM NIGERIA AND FRUSTRATE US. NA THEIR COUNTRY NA!  IT IS LEFT FOR NIGERIA TO DISCOURAGE THEM. THE QUESTION IS, WILL NIGERIA DO THINGS THAT WILL DISCOURAGE THEM? NO!
It happens around the world this way. Advanced countries like the U.S, and many European countries have experienced it. However, their cases are different cos it is as a result of cost of production than inefficiency. Even with the leftist disposition of a government like the Chinese government, and their excessive disrespect for intellectual property right, most of those FD investors don't mind.
The government needs to try harder, and play diplomatic games to the advantage of Nigeria. They should have provided an environment for IVM to develop, then taken them to other countries (Ghana included) to make connections for export.  Instead Ghana is coming to attract them, and the government seems to care less.

[b]Frankly speaking, Ghana is not to blame for anything.
If they are maltreating Nigerians, the question should be why? Where are Nigerians not maltreated? Nigerians are even Maltreated in Nigeria not to talk of Ghana. If Our Government was responsive and our country efficient, will Ghanaians attempt to raise a finger? Ghanaians are even kind. There are countries where raids are carried out just to arrest Nigerians for no reason. In such countries, Nigerians are arrested, their claims of being legal are destroyed, and they are deported or sometimes remanded in prison, while our embassy in such countries, led by pot bellied Nigerians without knowledge of proper diplomacy just helps to condemn them.
The fact is that Ghana is playing a smart game that any focused country would play. Recently, Singapore and Malaysia took advantage of the strife in Thailand to attract the tourists that planned to visit Thailand. Ghana is doing same to Nigeria because we are not focused. Nigerians Squabble alot. This is a good advantage for countries with better focus to grab things that should be in Nigeria.

Nigerians appear disgraceful and incompetent to the world because of the actions of few individuals and the reign of ethnic radicalism in Nigeria. If we were really one in Nigeria, Nnewi should have been the technological base of Nigeria. Nigerians seem to under-rate the amount of Jobs, and benefits Nnewi alone can bring to Nigeria if properly harnessed. Rather, the place is ignored, and left completely unharnessed with a strict focus on crude oil.
One is tempted to ask why wont Igbo (Nigerian) youths take to kidnapping and robbery? When a government fails to ensure a proper development of basic/advanced factor endowments in a nation, the youths will seek for ways to stay afloat by themselves. Which way is easier than collecting ransoms, Taking money violently, bursting pipelines to make money and selling their bodies to survive. Afterall Kidnapping, Robbery and Militancy pays them and puts food on their tables. Most people fail to understand that after many years in university, and a year of tortuous national service, it is deeply frustrating, demoralizing and disheartening to end up begging for food and being taunted in the streets. It is not everyone that have families that can sustain them. even the youths that decides to be entrepreneurs end up experiencing insecurity, sometimes running out of biz because the cost of running them is higher than the profit.

We have many men like Innoson right here in this country, but they are not properly harnessed, and they end up using their talents for wrong activities, or they end up contributing to more efficient countries. Sadly any effort to develop Nigeria will only pay with a consistent push for many years. [/b]

[b]When the news of IVM was announced, Some Nigerians came here and were announcing how the cars would be death traps, how their parts will be fake etc. To be precise, some outrightly condemned any move by the FG to try to recognise and help IVM to grow. Nigeria is a country where ethnic bigotry and discrimination reigns.
Ghana is clearly taking advantage of the fact that Nigerians are too blind to recognize progress due to the wool pulled over our eyes by ethno-religious division.

IVM should have been treated specially, and their products should have been given utmost attention because they are not just assembled. Many parts of their cars are actually made in Nnewi, Anambra state, Nigeria.
Our FG should have encouraged further R& to try to make it a wholly made in Nigeria product. Tax and business incentives should have been offered in a public-private sector collaboration to make their products cheap and affordable for Nigerians.
Ghana has really outgrown Nigeria, even to the extent of playing some economic diplomatic games.
If I was this guy, I will consider moving to Ghana o! The fact alone that he is Igbo is enough to make the heavily ethnic conscious Nigerians from other parts of the Nation to Maliciously want to ignore him at all cost, forgetting that he is actually a Nigerian.
This same guy, along with Ogbuawa made motorcycles cheap in Nigeria. How was he thanked? His products were actually impounded in one of the ports in Lagos, and sold to the highest bidder by the Nigerian customs. Yet he had the patriotism to go ahead with a car production effort.
We will not die! We will survive and make things to happen for ourselves. I am also into the manufacturing of electronics. I prefer to do it abroad than in Nigeria, because my products will be alienated by Nigerians (Cos of my ethnicity). The irony is that the products are like "Hot cakes" in the Nigerian market now because it is foreigners that they see as the owner, and not an Igbo man. Chai! Which way Nigeria [/b]

Sagamite, We are in the WC final! Go and hang yourself !! LOL!!!

Like I said you look more like an Armed robber at first sight.

Keep ranting. I'm outta here.

UP FALCONETS!!!! The Final is enough for me.

Because this Guy was born in Nigeria, he is considered an Over-aged player by People like Sagamite, again just by looking and guessing!

IT IS PEOPLE LIKE SAGAMITE THAT IS HOLDING THIS NATION BACK. THEIR TOO MUCH OF "I TOO KNOW" IS KILLING EVERYTHING IN THIS COUNTRY. JUST LIKE BANKOLE AND OTHER GAP TOOTHED THIEVES AND PESSIMISTS, SAGAMITE IS NOT A SAINT AFTERALL.
SIMPLE COMMON SENSE DID NOT TELL YOU THAT A 24- ABOVE YRS OLD NIGERIAN LADY CANNOT RUN AROUND IN THE PITCH LIKE THAT FOR 90 MINUITES WITHOUT FAINTING.

SAGAMITE WHY DO YOU THINK THAT THEY ARE AGE CHEATS? IS IT BECAUSE THEY ARE IN THE FINAL OF THE TOURNAMENT?

Phillip 0906 & Labalaba4;

LWKMD! You guys are getting me wrong. I am neither paid nor sponsored to help salvage Fashola's Image (Which is not battered anyway). I support APGA Party and not AC nor PDP. That does not stop me from speaking with my conscience. If all the governors in Nigeria were as pro-developmental as Fashola, Nigeria would be a better place.
You can say all you want, but as long as I see Fashola taking progressive actions, I will support him.

Yes, he may not have been perfect in the implementation of his action, but it is a huge step in the right direction. It is better than building roads and leaving them without maintenance due to government's inability to cough out money to maintain them.

I have to tell you guys that the long term positive effects of these projects are huge. Apart from just keeping the road motorable, other basic facilities like highway lighting, CCTVs for security, beautification, prompt emergency response, some Corporate Social Responsibility measures etc will be of enormous benefit to not only the communities but Lagosians in general.

As for you Philip 0906, you keep ranting about my location and familiarity with Lagos and Nigeria, you need to desist because you don't know me and you cannot make emphatic declarations about me like that. My products move across those roads and my structures were also affected by Fashola's actions. I virtually live in Lagos because I stay there as much as I stay in other countries. I drive in Lagos too and will pay heavily for the tolls because I pass through that Lekki-Epe road very much. Stop ranting about me because I know every corner of Lagos/ Nigeria more than you will ever  know. If you cannot pay for the tolls, do you need to drive? Won't using an alternative means be better for you?  If you have a low paying job and cannot move out of Lagos, is it not better to stay close to where you work? As for the alternative routes you guys are wishing for, you'all must be ready to tolerate further demolition of houses and structures to make such alternative ways.

The pain is understandable because this is the starting stage. Nigerians once paid 40,000 Naira to get an MTN sim card. How much is it now? Once the operators start to make some money, the amounts will reduce, and will be convenient for every Lagosian.

Well, If Lagos has to be a Mega city, all these stuffs need to be put in place. If Lagos is too difficult for you to live in, then move to Ogun state or other states, where no one cares about how the environment and road look like.
If you like what you see around you in Lagos, you gat to pay for it because it was not done out of Charity.

The One:
Guy

I'm a Fashola supporter because I see his vison but I must confess that they got it wrong on this one. It is a very callous idea that someone will pick up a fully functional 4 lane road, add one lane on both sides making it six lanes and then erect 3 toll gates within 30 kilometers and collect toll for 30 years!! Ahn Ahn, make we dey fear God now?

The most painful part is that they are now fencing off the entire stretch of road for greed purposes. A lot of people with property facing the road have seen their businesses nearly wiped out. If you look closely at the pix of the fenced toll road above, you will see that there are fully functional roads after the fence to serve those people but in Nigeria we prefer to import the toll and fence but not import provision of service roads as seen in the picture.

In summary, the whole transaction is brazen robbery and that it the point of the opposition. If people had been carried along, solutions would have been found and all the issues sorted but you don't just think you can bulldoze people with the instrument of government. Do you know that if you live around Sangotedo and work in VI, and lets say toll is 200 naira per pass (hypothetical though I've heard rumours this is it), you will spend 1200 naira DAILY on toll!! And you expect people to keep quiet? Again, for somebody like me who would prefer to stioll ply the old road, what is my alternative? Force me to pay 1200 naira daily? Do I have to swim the ocean to get to VI if I don't have money to pay? People forget that there are villagers in these places. Yes, the same way your village might be Ozubulu in Anambra is how you have villagers here too who are barely surviving. Yet, you just want to come and make things more expensive for them.

Solution: Might be impractical but if everybody living in Lekki from phase one down to Epe collate their taxes together monthly, I KNOW that in a year or two it will be enough to pay for the road. And you ask, are people in the area not entitled to enjoy government infrastructure? There's no single government hospital except in Epe. Only one school at Ikota which I don't think can take 100 pupils. So what exactly is the huge taxes paid by stakeholders there supposed to afford them? Subsidize ather parts of the state when they are living with government discomfort? Please let's think this thing through properly and not be carried away by sentiments.

My 2 cents,

Good comment.
Yes, as expected there will be some flaws. Overtime, all these will be effectively attended to, especially as the negatives in the arrangements starts to manifest. This is like the first modern private toll system arranged by any state in the country (If I am not wrong) So like a first born, lots of issues may have been neglected, and will be corrected.
As expected, the Concessionaire will want peace, so they will also seek for ways to ensure smooth operations.



LEKKI-EPE EXPRESSWAY: GOV. FASHOLA BROKERS PEACE BETWEEN STAKEHOLDERS, CONCESSIONAIRE

Sets up all-inclusive committee to resolve issues at stake

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), has brokered peace between stakeholders of Ibeju-Lekki and the Concessionaire of the Lekki-Epe Expressway over issues arising from the landmark project.

The peace meeting resulted in the setting up of a Committee of all the stakeholders comprising traditional rulers, elders of Eti- Osa, Iru and Ibeju-Lekki as well as the concessionaire – Lekki Concession Company (LCC) to work towards the amicable resolution of all the issues at stake.

Giving an insight into the immense benefits of the Lekki-Epe Expressway project after listening to representations made by the stakeholders, Governor Fashola who spoke at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House, Alausa venue of the meeting last Thursday, explained that the tolling of the road is 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 far out-weigh the challenges.

Citing an example with Boston in the United States of America, Governor Fashola said although it is a novel idea in Nigeria, tolling has been employed across the globe to execute multi-million dollar projects with far-reaching socio-economic gains adding that the Boston Underground Road which initially raised agitations and resistance from the people has today become a place to behold.

“Change does not come so easily, but the gains outweigh the pains”, the Governor said adding that the road will open up access to the on-going Lekki Free Trade Zone, the Lekki Seaport including the refinery which the Federal Government plans to site in the area.

“I implore us, we are not building only road; our agreement is more than just building a road. It is not for the development of Eti-Osa alone but the entire Lagos State”, the Governor pleaded pointing out that the Concessionaire sought assurance from the State Government that there would be no breach of agreement.

According to Governor Fashola, even after the assurance by the State Government, the Concessionaire still did not commence work until the Government supported the agreement with a law passed by the representatives of the people in the State House of Assembly and the Federal Executive Council deliberated and passed a resolution on it.


On the gains already being recorded as a result of the road, the Governor said the road project has led to the appreciation of property value in the area adding, “The completion of the road is what the area is expecting. It is for the future development of the area”.

On the likely consequences of any breach of the agreement on the side of the State Government, Governor Fashola warned, “If we say we do not want the project to continue, it is not about money alone; it is about our reputation. The project is funded by international finance institutions. A breach of the contract will not be good for Lagos or Nigeria”.

He recalled the multi-billion dollar metroline project proposed for Lagos by former Governor Lateef Jakande pointing out that when another government truncated the contract even after the design had been completed; the State Government not only lost the project, it also lost money because the contractor went to court and sued the Government for breach of contract.

“Stopping the Concessioning agreement of the  Lekki-Epe Expressway now will obviously affect other concessioning agreements in Nigeria”, Governor Fashola said  adding that the Federal Government has already given a guarantee on the project.

Promising that all grey areas on the issue will be resolved soon, Governor Fashola called for nominations into a committee being set up by the State Government for that purpose adding that the Committee would comprise of stakeholders, traditional rulers, elders of Eti-Osa, Iru and Ibeju-Lekki.

Earlier, a representative of the stakeholders, Mr. Adewale Sanni, had articulated their grievances to include the erection of three toll-gates and the fencing off of some communities in the area.

Present at the well attended meeting which lasted for over two hours, were stakeholders, elders and leaders of thought, traditional rulers and representatives of Lekki-Epe Expressway concessionaire as well as State Government officials including the Honourable Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Town Planner Francisco Abosede, the Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Olalekan Ifemode.

The meeting attended by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Marvel Akpoyibo, also had in attendance a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Jide Akinloye and the local government chairmen of the area.

Among the traditional rulers present were the Alara of Ilara, the Ojomu of Ajiranland, the Aladeshoyin of Odo-Naforija, the Onilekki of Lekki, the Onibeju of Ibeju, the Alaketu of Ketu, the Onise of Ise, the Onitedo of Itedo, the Olofin of Orugbo, representative of Oba Oniru of Iruland, representative of Abowa of Agbowa and the Omola of Odomola, Chief Razaq Falana, Chief Mudashiru Lawal, the Baale of Aromire, among many other traditional rulers and chiefs.

On the stakeholders’ side were Hon. Yahaya Adeniyi Dosunmu, Major General Paul Toun (retd), Mr. Lawal Fatai Olalekan, among others while the Lekki Concession Company (LCC) had in attendance its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Opuiyo Oforiokuma, among other officials.

Kobojunkie:
Oh!! Now there is none? lol  . .  dude, you made the attempt to compare the two cases . . . I just answered the question for you so you understand how absurd your argument will be if you attempt to compare the two. Simple!!! Some of us lived through those days and know that the two governors approached things differently too.

Jakande built roads and the roads were neglected after his tenure. Fashola built roads under long-term concessionary arrangements that will ensure the maintenance of the roads for multiple years after his tenure. This was the reason for the statement I made.

However, there is still no basis for comparison since Jakande led 20+ years before Fashola, and the political order during his time was different.

philip0906:
^^
my friend,like i said and i maintain,u r alien 2 d problems in our country. . .these countries u mentioned 4rm japan,us,uk if u don't know,let me tell u now. . .THE GOV'T PROVIDED D FOUNDATION 4 DEVELOPMENT AND THUS D CITIZENS RECIPROCATED BY PAYING THEIR TAXES AND PERFORMING THEIR OBLIGATIONS 2 D SOCIETY.THE U.S,UK,JAPAN(dat u mentioned)PROVIDED A SOLID POLITICAL PLATFORM 2 ENCOURAGE INVESTMENT AND OTHER THINGS.[/b]A country like ours where d govt have done absolutely nothing,we r still battling 2 sustain our "weak democracy".Not even d basics(light,water,roads) have been provided and how d'u expect investors 2 come in here?or those dat have worked under d severe economic and infrastructural decay and made their money 2 invest back into a system dat never gave them any leverage?or moreso,d masses who live on less than a dollar a day 2 willingly pay their taxes when all u read and c on d papers and news is embezzlement of funds?
[b]The gov't have 2 lay d foundation,then we d masses take off 4rm there else,things will just remain like this. . .

What government are you talking about? The PDP led FG or the AC led Lagos state government?  You expect the AC led state government to perform miracles under a severe antagonistic condition supported by the PDP led FG?
Guy you are bereft of knowledge about  the modern means of ensuring societal development even without the availability of inflow of funds to do so. Lagos state depends more on private sector collaboration, and a little on tax to make the little developments that you see feasible. Fashola is using Singapore as a model. Go and do a research about Singapore, then you will know what it takes to salvage a slum in few years.
Do you think that If Lagos under Fashola had the opportunity to provide their own electricity for their own use there would not have been lots of progress by now?
You must understand that you cannot create jobs by just sticking to the way things are. New things needs to happen for jobs to be created. The way Lagos state was before Fashola, it would have taken heavenly intervention for FDI to flow in effectively. With the way things are going in Lagos, I see a huge inflow of investors.
I was expecting to get some criticisms from individuals with lack of foresight. It is all about now, now and now. What about the future? What Singaporeans, Americans, British etc enjoy now are as a result of the sacrifice of their fore-fathers. People went hungry, homeless and devastated for their societies to be built. That is What Nigeria lacks, and that is why we are suffering for the negligence of our fathers.

Kobojunkie:
I can answer that question for you. The roads were in good condition and well maintained throughout the Jakande era. We had at that time found a sort of solution to the drainage problem in Lagos as well. The state worked to generate revenue through taxes and other ventures to ensure that people had access to utilities at affordable prices. So Lagos roads were pliable and maintained during the Jakande era.

There is actually no basis of comparing Jakande and Fashola because the conditions of their governance differ. So quit all these bull crap!

philip0906:
@justcash
u dey japan dey rant. . .poor man(over 70% of d populace) never c food chop,na 2 pay tax wey him no go c d result go come dey him head,my friend stop talkng like a foreigner who is alien 2 d problems in d society and put your self in d shoes of d common man who lives on less than a dollar a day

Lol! Guy! You dey yarn dust! You think say they build Japan, U.S , U.K etc without pain?
Who told you that I'v not been affected by the process? So, because you saw japan under my user name, you feel say I just perch here Without having to be home multiple times every month. I do business, and I partly depend on Nigeria, Lagos included, to strive.
The process of genuine nation building comes with pain. If na FG dey do this stuff, I for know say na joke. Fashola is serious about it, and I'v seen factors that have shown how serious he is. This is out of my experience in genuinely developing nations.
Fact remains that if Lagos state is to be cleaned up and made attractive to investors, which will create jobs (Employment), alot of people will feel the pain. This is because many structures were built in an unregulated manner. These things need to be regulated if there will be any meaningful step towards salvaging lagos from it's "slum" state. Until that is done, Lagos state cannot reach it's full potential.

On the other hand, private sector investment in a country ensures efficiency and comes at a price, because no investor would invest just to make the populace happy and lose his invested capital/profit.
A regulated society is a Conditio sine qua non for development.
Going by your rant, we can remain the happiest people in the world and wallow in abject poverty. Yet you will be the first to react if bbc describes lagos as a slum.

labalaba4:
Phuck off, you spawn of thieves!!! Jakande did not toll this road or take all our land because of it. What gives Tinubu and Fashola to do that? Come and collect the toll, make we see. Armed robbers. Thunder faya all of una collective nyanshes!!!

Cool down man! Yes, Jakande did not ensure the collection of tolls on the roads, the question is what was the condition of the roads after that?

My point is that if you must demand to get efficiency and modern basic facilities, you need to bear some pain and pay for it. If your land is not collected, and your houses/ markets that stood on the way of achieving modernization were not demolished, how can you expand roads and build world class facilities like the LRT that you yearn for and applaud? How will you sustain them?

Becomrich0:
Is that the picture of lekki or 419.

I know there are not so many three in lagos.

Nah! It's not a pic of a Lagos road. It's a foreign road, with a semblance of what an efficient Lagos road can look like.

There is a price to pay for this.

If we had a sensible Federal government this should have been done in every federal highway, and alternative means of transportation like Bus and rail should be provided to ease the pressure of vehicular movement on the roads. Anyway, I don't doubt the fact that NLC will embark on strike immediately to frustrate the effort, just like PHCN workers threatened to do about the privatisation of the electric power sector. I am starting to think that we need a pro-developmental dictatorial leader like Lee Kuan yew that will act positively without caring about protests. These things will create jobs, save lives, ensure security of highways and boost business viability of Nigeria.
This is exactly what Fashola is trying to do. If you cannot keep paying for the toll, use the BRT, Taxi (The toll will be subsidized for them with time) and LRT (Which is being constructed)

Nigerians can be very funny. How can we expect to have world class facilities without paying for them?
When we travel abroad and see clean and beautiful road networks we condemn the Nigerian government, forgetting that the roads abroad are heavily paid for. For instance, in Malaysia, almost every Nigerian resident there drives (Majority are students), and they pay the toll fees there, without raising questions.

About the issue of cost, it will certainly reduce as the private firms gradually approach their break even point. The cost will keep going down over time , just as it happened in the telecommunication sector.

If there must be world class roads, hospitals, security, Educational provision etc, they need to be paid for[b] in one way or the other[/b].

I read this article below about the Lekki-Epe Expressway tolls, and came to a realisation that it may really be a problem to provide efficient basic infrastructures to Nigerians, especially in collaboration with the private sector, because Nigerians prefer not to pay for them.
Development comes at a great cost. Ask Citizens of developed nations, they'll tell you.

Unending controversy over tolls on Lekki-Epe Expressway
Jul 27, 2010
By Jude Njoku, Kingsley Adegboye, Bose Adebayo Adebayo & Olasukanmi Akoni

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 next month, is now generating mixed feeling among residents  of the highbrow neighbourhood. While some residents are in support of the project, others have 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 told Vanguard Features 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 fathers’ houses. Do they expect us to go and rob before to  pay the tolls?’‘ he asked.

A technician who gave his names as Uche Edike said LCC should have waited for a while before introducing tolls. ‘’ It is a 30- year project, why is the company in a hurry to collect tolls when a substantial part of the project is yet to be done?

To me, only five per cent of the project has been completed and I believe you must see what you want to buy before paying for it. I am not against the project because it will bring development to our community but I guess there is a game behind it and only the government could give us a tangible explanation,’‘ said Edike.

Another resident of the area, Mr.Willy Badmus echoed similar views. Said he: “ I know Tinubu wants to indict Fashola on this project. Fashola has been doing well in Lagos but this idea is nothing but a burden to our community. The government should be interested in poverty eradication instead of adding to our problems. We must pay tolls whether we have eaten or not, this is nothing but slavery. This is not done in other developed countries of the world.

A commercial driver who introduced himself as Gbogbo Irawo said that collection of tolls on the road will bring hardship to the community. “There is no basis for a toll gate. We will resist any hardship that we are being deliberately subjected to by the State government and LCC.  The toll collection is unacceptable for now as it is unfair to all motorists plying the Lekki-Epe expressway.

The government and LCC should sit down and rethink the idea in a way that will benefit the entire community,” he said. According to him, the communities were left in the dark and wondered why projects initiated by the government in the Lekki corridor should be geared towards making profits and impoverishing the residents. “The state government cannot force the decision to pay tolls down our throats. Let me make it clear,  anyone who intends to erect toll plazas on that road in exchange for its expansion has made an economic misadventure.

No doubt, we want the road, but to ask us to pay toll is impossible. Moreover, the government is supposed to provide roads since we are tax payers but we cannot afford to bear the cost of the tolls,” he said.

A taxi driver Adewale Alamu also gave reasons why they are opposed to tolls on the road. “We are opposed to tolls. There is no doubt that the community needs good roads but we should not be allowed to pay through our nose since our tax will speak for us. Fashola should take it softly  or he will not go for a second term,”  he said.

Why tolls will commence in August -LCC

Despite the ongoing controversy over the commencement of tolls on the Lekki -Epe Expressway, the concessionaire, Messrs Lekki Concession Company (LCC) Limited, says it has met all the requirements stipulated in the contractual agreement to commence collection of tolls on the ever-busy expressway.

LCC’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Mr Charles Imebvore told Vanguard  that key elements stipulated in the agreement signed with Lagos state under Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to be in place, have been completed and are already in use.

The key elements in the first phase, according to Imebvore include the completion of work on the first six kilometres of the carriageway, reconstruction of the First Roundabout, construction of a new Second Roundabout, expansion of the Exxon Mobil Bridge from four to six lanes and completion of the Admiralty Circle Plaza.

Mr. Imebvore said the commencement of tolls on the Lekki Toll Road is subject to the inspection and certification of completed sections of the road as fit  by an internationally certified independent Engineer.

The Engineer, he said, has already inspected the road and will submit his report within the next ten days. ‘We have received information that portends positive outcome, hence the possible commencement of tolling at the end of July or in August, 2010.’‘ The toll rates, he said, will be announced at least two weeks before tolling commences.

The LCC spokesman who noted that there are alternative routes for those who do not want to pass through the toll plazas, however pointed out that it is the responsibility of the state government to create the alternative routes.

“Regarding road users who do not wish to pay toll, alternative routes exist for such people. Road users who do not wish to pay toll will be able to bypass the Toll Plaza using the alternative routes that have already been provided. Regardless of this, they will still be able to return onto the new Lekki-Epe Expressway, use it and enjoy other services provided by LCC, until they get to the next Toll Plaza and decide whether to pay toll or take the next alternative route,” he stated.

On toll payment procedures, he explained that road users will have the option of paying their tolls via electronic means or cash. He said the electronic mode of payment involves the use of smart cards called “SwiftPass” and an electronic device known as eTag.

“We are encouraging people to make toll payments via electronic means because of the discounts available on this platform and the added convenience it offers.

discounts will also be given to commercial bus operators to avoid increase in transport  faces”, he said. It is expected that the payment platforms will be expanded to include mobile phones in the near future

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/07/27/unending-controversy-over-tolls-on-lekki-epe-expressway/