The Lagos State Government on Thursday, January 2, 2020 commenced the cashless policy for toll payments at Lekki/Ikoyi Link bridge toll-plaza
Though it had earlier been announced that road users should take to the necessary arrangements that would enable them make payments with their tags as against cash, it appears many motorists as at yesterday were yet to adhere to the necessary precaution
Sadly this in effect led to a large number of people stranded and stuck on the island, while others were forced to take a longer alternative route causing heavy gridlock along oniru axis
Though the State Government had last year announced that it would go cashless on toll payments at the Lekki/Ikoyi toll plaza effective from January 2020 due to huge traffic gridlocks often experienced on the corridor with cash payments, it appears the failure of road users to make do with the new option caused them longer time and ultimately frustrated many, last night
Those who were faced with the challenge last night have now moved to do the necessary thing as there was improvement in the flow of traffic recorded as at noon today
Speaking on the new policy, the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic 0ladeinde, who personally monitored the cashless toll payments at the toll plaza early this morning along with the Managing Director, Lekki Concession Company Limited, (LCC) Mr. Yomi Omomuwasan stated that the new cashless policy was aimed at reducing traffic queue often experienced during cash payments regime to save travel time and ease traffic movement along the corridor.
Dr. Oladeinde who noted that the new cashless toll payments has brought significant improvement on vehicular movement at the toll plaza compared with the previous situation, he added that there was the need to educate the residents on the need to imbibe the new system through compliance because of its advantage on free flow of traffic.
He frowned at some motorists who he said wanted to deliberately sabotage the new policy for their selfish gains, disclosing that some motorists made photocopies of their payment vouchers for multiple uses.
He warned that the State Government would not hesitate to apply the law on any motorists that attempted to frustrate its effort at improving traffic movements through corrupt practices.
“I just want to appeal to Lagosians to embrace this new initiative introduced by this government as it would help us improve traffic movements along the corridor, any form of criminality or corrupt practices such as photocopying of payment vouchers or similar vices will not be condoned as such would be treated as a criminal case when caught,’’ the Commissioner warned.
While expressing optimism that the new toll- cashless policy would be a very good experience for Lagosians when it is fully stabilized, the Commissioner explained that for close to 3 hours that the officials were monitoring vehicular movements at the toll plaza, no motorist spent more than one to two seconds before they were electronically passed, having shown their e-payment vouchers or other devices, those that had delays were the recalcitrant ones who were not ready to comply with any of the four cashless payment options as earlier stated.
He commended Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s administration for maximizing technology to improve the operations of transportation in Lagos State.
Also speaking, The Managing Director/ Chief Executive of the Lekki Concession Company Limited, Mr. Yomi Omomuwasan noted that the cashless policy had made toll payment operations seamless, noting that heavy traffic congestions associated with cash payment had been significantly reduced to the admiration of all motorists.
He commended the State Government for the initiative, promising that his company would continue to work to improve customer satisfaction in the Transport Sector.
Omomuwasan further explained that LCC had created about 4 seamless ways by which people could make their e- (cashless) payments which according to him include; E- tag which is attached to vehicles and allows free passage on number plate recognition, the vouchers system, which is temporary for newcomers or 1st timers that are yet to register, the E-card which must be regularly topped up as at the time of presentation, and lastly, the LCC Mobile App for top-up which is also a payment platform.
The Managing Director added also that any interested member of the public could also reach the company through any of the following numbers: 07011753784, 07015838157, 08002255522 or [email protected], promising that the company would work round the clock to ensure the success of the new policy.
