Some commercial motorcyclists have accused various community development associations in Ajuwon, Akute and Alagbole, among other areas in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State of appointing tolling agents to collect money from them before allowing them to convey passengers to their destinations in the areas.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the executive members of the CDAs, after informing the motorcyclists of the plan, agreed to be collecting N20 before allowing them entry into their various CDAs.
Things, however, took another turn when the executive members instructed the tolling agents to increase the fee from N20 to N50.
The motorcyclists, while lamenting the increment, accused the CDAs of extorting them, adding that the increment had been affecting their daily target.
A motorcyclist, Aliyu Bello, who plies the Akute/Alagbole route in the local government area, while complaining over the development, urged relevant agencies to intervene.
He said, “The fee for a toll at Osaro Street was only N20 a few months ago, but the price had increased to N50 as of January. Though they told us they want to use the money for the rehabilitation of roads in the area, nobody knows what they used the money for.
“They don’t use to work during the weekends before. Now, they work on weekends and will not allow any entrance until you make a full payment.”
Another motorcyclist, Tosin Alagbe, expressed concern over multiple payments by motorcycle riders conveying passengers to various CDAs in the LGA, adding that tolling points were already being erected in Alagbole, Ajuwon and Akute, among areas.
He said, “Since some communities began collecting money from motorcycle riders, others have followed suit. This is taking a toll on the money we make daily. The tolling is even preventing some riders from taking passengers beyond the toll points.”
However, a resident, who did not want his name mentioned for the fear of victimisation, told our correspondent that the CDAs claimed the money realised from the tolling points would be used to patch some potholes and for other maintenance within the communities.
He said, “The CDA claimed the money collected from the toll gates is for the rehabilitation of roads and channels within the communities, but we have not seen anything.”
Efforts to get reactions from two of the chairmen, simply identified as Olatunji and Olayinka, whose CDAs were accused of using the toll points to extort the motorcyclists proved abortive .
The chairmen were also yet to respond to text messages sent to their mobile numbers as of the time this report was filed.
Reacting, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Ministry of Transportation, Yemisi Onanuga, said, “I cannot speak on that because I am just hearing it from you. Nothing of this had been brought to our knowledge. I cannot confirm if it happened because I am just hearing it from you. We will make our findings too.”
