06072021 - We must okay FG's security operations in our states- Southern Govs

24—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 6, 2021
•Traffic chaos in Lagos
Traffic snarl: Lagos on lockdown
•Motorists, commuters cry out as gridlock takes over metropolis
•Govt calls for understanding
By Olasunkanmi Akoni and Bose Adelaja
AFTER what will appear as a temporary
respite, traffic gridlock has once again
reappeared on most Lagos roads, leaving residents,
especially commuters, in untold agony as they
travel from one part of the state to the other. What
many find most distressing is the alarming
indication that there is no immediate solution in
sight. The state-wide gridlock has been attributed
to different factors, with the poor state of some
roads across the metropolis top on the list. To make
matters worse, most of the roads have become
significantly unmotorable following recent
downpours in the state.
On account of this, motorists have gone back to
telling sad stories of their nightmarish experiences
in standstill traffics which have continued to
expose them to frequent attacks by hoodlums and
robbers. Also being blamed for the return of the
traffic gridlock nightmare are the various ongoing
road reconstruction projects and activities
of commercial bus drivers.
Areas most affected by the daily gridlock include
Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ikorodu Road, Ojodu,
Ikeja environs, Agege, Ogudu, Oshodi, Funsho
Williams Avenue, Iyana Oworosonki-Gbagada
Expressway, Mobolaji-Bank Anthony Way, Lagos-
Abeokuta Expressway, Ozunba-Mbadiwe Way,
Lekki-Epe Expressway, Ajah, Ikoyi, Oshodi-Apapa
Expressway, Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Isolo/
Ikotun/Egbe Road, Eko Bridge, among others.
Apapa roads, however, remain the worst hit. In
fact, the area has in recent years attained the
notoriety of being an axis of traffic chaos, whether
you are accessing Apapa through Oshodi-Tin Can
end or through Wharf Road.
Completion of road
rehabilitation
But this was recently puntuated by the cheery
news of some measure sanity now existing around
the Mile 2 area following the completion of road
rehabilitation under the bridge there. The situation
around Apapa the during rainy season is usually
frustrating as vehicles break down frequently,
heavy-duty trucks often overturning or getting
stuck in muddy potholes. In most cases, motorists
have no choice but to disembark at particularly
failed sections of the roads to push rickety and
articulated vehicles, thereby causing gridlock on
the roads.
The situation report in Apapa is that the Federal
Government has already completed the
reconstruction of Wharf Road, Apapa. Minister
of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola,
had also assured that the next road to be given
consideration for reconstruction within Apapa
would be Tin Can/Coconut section of the Apapa-
Oshodi Expressway, which had since started.
Fashola added that discussions had already
begun on the issue at the Federal Executive
Council level. He said: “I just want to appeal to
residents of Apapa, to people whose livelihood
depends on Apapa, that Apapa is one of the priority
roads under our priority of works to solve roads that
lead to critical ports. We also have Calabar on our
radar. But one after the other, there would be an
enduring solution.
“Years, you will see that the provisions for the
budget funding of Apapa and the Tin Can Island
and Mile-2 to Oworonsoki Roads, all of which
evacuate the Port have not been sufficient really to
deal with the cost. The cost that we are getting from
the contractor is in the region of about N100 billion
and above and the annual budgetary appropriation
that is approved for us is about N7 billion. And then
there are debts that we met. I, therefore, appeal to
residents and other users of the road to exercise a
little more patience.”
Whenever it rains in Lagos, residents are thrown
into panic, despair and anguish as the already
deplorable roads become almost impassable due
to flooding and road projects. From Lagos Island to
the Mainland, the expressways to high streets and
the inner streets, it is lamentations galore by residents
on account of the poor state of the roads long
neglected and abandoned by both state and local
governments. Just as motorists and commuters
plying Apapa/Oshodi Expressway are lamenting over
the agony they go through as a result of the deplorable
road and the
attendant gridlock
they face daily, it is
the same bitter
experience for
motorists and
commuters on the
Agege Motor Road.
For instance, the
Mushin-Idi-Oro axis
to Ojuelegba end is
so bad that even
trailer and tanker
Whenever it rains in
Lagos, residents are
thrown into panic and
anguish, as the already
deplorable roads
become almost
impassable due to
flooding and road
projects
drivers now avoid the
ever-busy highway. Particularly notable are the
potholes on the road have become an ever-present
danger or death-trap to those who dare to drive
through the road. So, it is little surprising that there
are usually many broken down vehicles on that road.
Daring drivers of smaller vehicles plying the road
often have to contend with attacks by robbers who
take advantage of gridlock to strike with impunity.
Consequently on account of the worsening gridlock
in the state, a journey of few minutes takes hours to
accomplish. It is now a common sight to see
overturned trailers, tankers and containers and
broken down vehicles on a daily basis, especially
when it rains. This is even as the Road Safety and
Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA,
officials are not helping matters: They are often
acused of failing to do their work, resorting instead
to extorting harassed motorists and worsening the
traffic situation in the process.
Residents lament: Mr. Sanyaolu Abidemi who
resides in Alakuko area and works at Marine Beach,
Apapa, said he usually leaves home as early as 4.30am
but arrives his place of work at about 8.am just to
avoid traffic. According to him, there are no
dedicated parks along the Tollgate down to
Alakuko, a situation which has led to commercial
drivers stopping and picking passengers
indiscriminately.
His words: “There are no official bus-stops
from Sango/Tollgate to Alakuko. Commercial
drivers just stop and pick passengers anywhere
they see commuters. Apart from this, there are
portholes and failed portions of the road which
make vehicles maneouver to find their way out
and this causes gridlock along the axis.”
A businesswoman, Madam Aishat Sule, who
lives at Meiran/Ijaiye and operates a shop at the
local Airport said she spends about three hours
daily to connect both ends in her Toyota Camry
car. “Ordinarily, the journey that is supposed to
be about 25 minutes has gradually stretched to
two hours due to persistent gridlock caused by
the ongoing road reconstruction. Another major
factor is activities of street urchins popularly
called ‘Area Boys’ who swoop on commercial
drivers to collect levies. All these put together
have been causing delay on the road,” Sule said.
A commuter, Mr. Ibukun Thomas said:
“Commercial vehicles plying the Airport route
from National Park stop indiscriminately to pick
passengers along the way. By so doing, they cause
a gridlock which usually stretches from National
into the expressway, thereby affecting free flow
of traffic at Ikeja-Along up to Mangoro and
Cement bus-stops to link the existing gridlock
inward Akowonjo Road especially at peak
hours.”
According to many road users and commuters,
the effects of the ongoing road rehabilitation at
Ebute/Ipakodo Road has affected the traffic
situation in Ikorodu axis causing a back flow
from roundabout down to Haruna and Agric
such that motorists spend hours connecting Mile
12. At Owode-Elede, Vanguard observed a
crater-like pothole causing serious gridlock
which also results in accidents and robbery in
the area.
Activities of
Area Boys
A car owner, James Okoli, said he was
travelling from Ikorodu roundabout to the Island
on Wednesday when two young men dashed
across his vehicle and pointed a gun at him. “They
ordered me to cooperate and ended up removing
my personal effects. Time was about 6 am at
Haruna,” he informed. Places like Ojuwoye and
Idi-Oro, Ogunmokun and Daleko in Mushin,
Eko Bridge, Ijora Bridge Phase 3, Boundary/
Ajegunle, Iddo, Tom Jones, Eyin-Eyo, and
Mosalasi on Lagos Island areas are not left out
as gridlock persists due to human factors,
including indiscriminate parking of vehicles,
indiscriminate dumping of refuse, failed portions
of the road, clogged up drains, activities of “Area
Boys” and road side trading, to mention but a
few.
From Adeniji down to Tom Jones area,
Vanguard observed that the major road has
failed, with drains overflown such that vehicles
have to maneouver through some failed inner
roads to access the major road. Some road users
said this usually leads to loss of man hours daily.
Also, road users complained that the gridlock
has made them susceptible to traffic robbers and
other dangers on the road.
Lagos govt reacts: Reacting to series of
complaints, the Lagos State Commissioner for
Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso,
called for understanding of the public, saying:
“We regret every inconveniences caused by this
development. Our target is to work before the
rain comes. People are complaining of not doing
anything before now and now we are doing
something. We have rehabilitated over 400
roads, such as Pen Cinema Flyover, Agege,
Agbado Oke-Odo, 31 network of roads in
Alimosho, Ikoyi too, Omi-Tuntun, Victoria
Island, Ikorodu among others. Road building in
Nigeria is seasonal, we have little things to do
because the weather is unpredictable. We are
trying to do as many as possible at the same
time.
“When Governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu read
the state of the state address, he urged residents
to continue to bear with the state and that’s whats
going on. We are all part of it, we are aware of
what they are going through. no pain without
gain. By the time these projects are completed,
everywhere will be free. We urge residents to
continue to show understanding. Every work has
its schedule. Many of these projects will be
completed in the next six months and the first
quarter of next year. The gridlock will soon
disappear and give way to seamless traffic in
Lagos and we will all be the beneficiaries.”