#EndSARS: Lagos loses N9.7bn to toll gates closure, plans reopening

The Lagos State Government has lost at least N9.7bn in projected revenue due to the closure of the Lekki toll plaza and the Ikoyi Link Bridge toll plaza in the last one year.

The figure was obtained from the daily and monthly targets set for the tollgates by the Lagos State Government, which owns the tollgates that is being managed by the Lekki Concession Company.

The Managing Director of the LCC, Yomi Omomuwasan, had told the Judicial panel set up to investigate cases of human rights violations committed by operatives of the dissolved Special Anti-Robbery Squad that he had no idea how much the tollgates generate.

However, a senior government official told The PUNCH last year that the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge was expected to generate about N10m daily, while the Lekki toll plaza was not expected to generate less than N16.6m a day.

This implies that the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge has lost N3.65bn, while the Lekki toll plaza has lost N6.05bn, bringing the total to N9.7bn.

In February the judicial panel gave the LCC the permission to re-open the toll gates, a move which sparked an outrage.

The PUNCH observed that although tolls were not being paid by motorists, the display boards on the tollgates had begun advertising again, generating some revenue for the LCC.

The display boards are operated by Loatsad Promomedia Limited, an advertising firm owned by Seyi Tinubu, the son of All Progressives Congress leader, Bola Tinubu.

Both the Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotosho; and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Gboyega Akosile, did not immediately respond to calls on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the LCC, Veronica Jacobs, also did not respond to repeated calls.

However, a top government official who wished to remain anonymous said the state government was waiting for the panel to complete its task and submit its report before re-opening the tollgates.

He said, “The tollgate is supposed to have re-opened but we are gauging the mood of the public, especially now that some people are threatening to stage another protest. The panel is supposed to complete its task and submit its final report by the end of this month.

“After the report has been submitted and some recommendations are implemented, then the toll gates would be re-opened.”

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