The Lekki Concession Company has released details of the new tolls to be paid by motorists using the Lekki-Epe Expressway and Ikoyi Link Bridge in Lagos.
It said in a statement obtained on Sunday that drivers/owners of cars and tricycles driving on the Lekki-Epe Expressway would pay N200, a 66.6-per cent increase over the old rate of N120.
But the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has condemned the increase, which is meant to become effective on February 1.
The Managing Director, LCC, Mr. Mohammed Hassan, who first announced the upward review of the tolls on Friday, said it was “to enable the company to meet its loan obligations to its local and foreign lenders.”
The new figures also showed a 20 per cent increase for cars/tricycles using the Ikoyi Link Bridge as the toll was raised from N250 to N300.
Sport Utility Vehicles will attract N250 at the Admiralty Toll Plaza of the Lekki-Epe Expressway, which is 66.6 per cent increase over the current toll of N150.
The Ikoyi-Link Bridge toll for the SUV, mini vans and light trucks was given as N400, an increase from the current N300.
Heavy duty trucks/buses with two or more heavy axles will attract N1,000 at the Admiralty Circle Plaza on the Lekki-Epe Expressway, according to the latest statement from the LCC.
A 25-per cent increase has also been slammed on operators of commuter mini buses intending to use the Admiralty Circle Plaza of the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
But the Chairman of the Lagos PDP, Moshood Salvador, in a statement, expressed shock over the development.
According to him, the plan has once again brought to the fore the wickedness of the Lagos State Government in connivance with the LCC against hapless citizens.
Salvador stated, “The reasons adduced for the planned increase, according to them, include high operating costs and the current exchange rate of the naira to the dollar. This is rather laughable and a great indictment on the ruling APC (All Progressives Congress) at the federal level, which has demonstrated inept leadership from the economy to the Fulani/farmers’ clashes and other critical issues.
“This is a company that generates hundreds of millions of naira daily from tolling and nobody has an idea of what goes into its coffers. It is, no doubt, acting in league with the state government, which year in year out budgets billions of naira for projects without making the details available.”
Salvador also faulted the timing of the fare increase, saying it was strange that it was planned to take effect less than one week after the announcement.
“We want to ask Governor Ambode (of Lagos State), who was until recently a civil servant, whether this is justifiable against the backdrop of the state of the economy,” he said.
According to him, this is at a time when millions of people are out of jobs and for those employed, their salaries have remained static.”
- Source: The Punch, January 29, 2018
