COURT BARS LASG FROM COLLECTING TOLLS ON LEKKI BRIDGE...

A Federal High Court, Lagos has barred the Lagos State Government from further collecting of tolls from users of the Lekki-Ikoyi Suspension Bridge.

Justice Saliu Saidu, in a judgment on Thursday declared that since the bridge was built by public funds, imposition of tolls on motorists using it was illegal. The court held that the power of control of all navigable waterways in Nigeria, resides with the federal government.

The court held that since it was public funds that was used for building the bridge there was no basis for the public-private partnership arrangement which was adduced as the justification for toll collection on the bridge.

The suit was instituted by a civil rights lawyer, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, against the Attorney-General of the Federation, the National Inland Waterways Authority, the Lagos State Government and the state Attorney-General.

Adegboruwa had urged the court to determine whether the imposition of tolls on the users of the bridge and residents of Lekki Scheme 1, Ikoyi, Ajah, Ibeju-Lekki and Epe communities, did not amount to a violation of their rights.

Source-The Punch