By Matthew Mahmood
‘Operation Occupy Lekki’ movement is against the tolling of Eti Osa – Lekki highway by the ruling ACN – Lagos State Government at ‘expensive’ rates. The anti-Robin Hood toll plaza fees demonstration at Lekki occurred yesterday but the peaceful protest was disrupted by the Nigerian police who fired bullets, tear gas and battered some innocent protesters. To make the matter worse, some protesters were arrested.
Last month, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) party stalwarts were in Downing Street to protest the ‘upcoming’ trial of their party leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. They stood opposite the office of the British Prime Minister David Cameron with banners and placards. The demonstration was broadcast on Ben TV – Sky Channel 184. A female protester pronounced a death sentence on Tinubu’s enemies but the British police did not arrest or manhandle the protester(s). The Code of Conduct Bureau later quashed the anti-corruption trial by dismissing charges against Tinubu in Nigeria. It was probably a deliberate attempt to ‘nail’ Tinubu for being too intimidating in recent times.
However, there is a disturbing allegation that Tinubu has something to do with the tolling company? Lagos State Government should tell Lagosians who actually owns the tolling company? If you cannot provide alternative roads for those that cannot afford toll gate fees then it would be unfair for the poor. If there are alternative roads tell the masses where they are. It is wrong to assume that because Lekki peninsular is an affluent area therefore the high toll charges are affordable. A lot of motorists that use the highway are actually struggling to survive. They don’t need Robin Hood toll fees but if the 'backbenchers' and dictators of ACN need money badly they should look elsewhere…
Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola does not have much to lose since he is in his last tenure but Lagos ACN may have lost Lagos to another party in the upcoming 2015 election with the Robin Hood tariffs. That is if Nigeria is still a nation by 2015. Would you vote for a party that is a rip-off? Have Lagosians not been forced to pay enough taxes? Lagos is a lovely city and most Lagosians ‘love’ Fashola but it does not mean that they should not disagree with him once in a while.
On You Decide (BEN TV), Senator Babajide Omoworare said that some state governors can afford to pay over N20, 000 minimum wage. When the programme presenter Dr Segun Johnson asked him to name the states he humbly declined… When he was asked if Lagos State was among such states he reserved his comments. Since the Lagos State Government went ahead with the Lekki toll gate fees then it should be able to pay N20, 500 as minimum wage because it generates billions of revenue on monthly basis. It would help some government employees with their toll gate fees.
After all, Abia State Government has approved N20, 100 as the minimum wage of an employee, starting from January 2012. Imo State Government has back dated payment and approved N20, 000 minimum wage from April 2011 although the federal government recently approved N18, 900 as the new minimum wage. Some state governments claimed that they were too poor to pay the former minimum wage of N18, 000 yet the governors and high ranking officials live in luxury. Most of them have houses in foreign countries. If Abia and Imo States can pay over N18, 9OO why can’t Lagos State, instead of allegedly paying N18, 780 or less? Yet, Lagos State Government is fond of imposing levies on Lagosians and visitors.
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