The apex socio-political group of the Igbo, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has cautioned the Federal Government against the plan to toll the newly opened 2nd Niger Bridge.
Recall that the Minister for Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, had said the temporarily opened bridge would be tolled for the purpose of maintenance.
In a chat with journalists on Saturday, the Publicity Secretary of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Alex Ogbonnia, faulted the proposed tolling of the bridge, saying public funds were used to provide long-awaited service to the people.
“It will amount to ‘impoverishment’ to toll the bridge. Is there any other highway in Nigeria where there is a toll gate? So, this is strange. It is like imposing unnecessary taxation on the people.
“You see today, everywhere you go, you will meet one checkpoint or the other. Checkpoints are like toll gates, they collect money from people.
“These corrupt military or security personnel collecting money from the public and now the government is setting up another toll gate, all these things are a punishment to the populace.
“There is no other toll gate in any other part of Nigeria except this one that they are proposing. They won’t be able to reconcile their rationale for a toll gate. It is not proper,” he said.
