Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the main sociopolitical organization of the Igbo, has voiced its opposition to the Federal Government’s plan to impose a toll on the recently opened 2nd Niger Bridge.

According to a news report, Babatunde Fashola, the minister for works and housing, stated the bridge will be tolled for maintenance purposes while it was temporarily open.

However, Alex Ogbonnia, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s publicity secretary, told the media that such a move would harm President Mohammadu Buhari’s administration’s effectiveness.

He further 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.

Nwaru Ndubuisi, a professor of economics, claimed that the Federal Government’s installation of a toll gate on the bridge would be unfair. Speaking to reporters, he claimed that such a decision would put the residents of the area across the bridge through unimaginable agony.