Four weeks after the banning/restriction on Okada and Keke Marwa by the Lagos State Government on Lagos roads, ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE writes on what it portends for the transport systems in the megacity.

When the Lagos State Government on February 3, started the ban/restriction of commercial motorcycles and tricycles, popularly called Okada and Keke Marwa from some of its roads, it was a decision that was saluted for its boldness and courage.

While some of the residents saw the policy as one in the right direction and would want a state-wide restriction, others called out to the government “for attempting to clamp some people out of supposed legitimate means of livelihood”.

To assuage the pains of commuters, the government have rolled out 65 maxi-buses, and eight brand new ferries for the comfort of residents living around the riverine communities. Mini saloon taxis are also being rolled out to further bridge the supply chain and make the people more comfortable.

The restriction was Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s first major commitment at sanitising the transportation space. The governor, whose major pillar of promise is transportation and traffic control, left no one in doubt  that he had the political will to clean the Augean stable.

The Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Kadiri Hamzat, only last week asked those agitating a reverse of the policy to perish the thought. “We are not going back on the directive restricting okada operation in some parts of the state, because we have a responsibility to protect lives and property of the larger majority of the people,” Hamzat said.

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy Mr Gbenga Omotoso said the government’s decision to ban Okada and Keke was hinged on the rising rate of accidents and crimes associated with them.

Omotoso, had said: “After consultations with stakeholders, the state Security Council, in compliance with the extant Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018, decided to commence enforcement of the law, which bans the operations of Okada and Keke in six local government areas and nine local council development areas.”

Giving reasons for the ban, he said: “The figures are scary. From 2016 to 2019, there were over 10,000 accidents recorded at the state’s 22 general hospitals alone. This excludes unreported cases and those recorded by other hospitals. The total number of deaths from reported cases is over 600 as of date (January 2020).”

But more worrisome, was the security implications of the proliferation of okada in the state. The government got worried over the upsurge in the influx of riders flooding the state.

At one instance, 150 youths of varying ages were arrested when men of the state Task Force arrested the truck bringing them into the state from one of the Northern states. The security profile showed that there is a slight increase in the number of crime aided by Okada and Keke in the state. The government said security agents were worried that many resort to using it for quick getaway from crime scenes.

Omotoso listed the six local government areas and nine development area councils where commercial motorcycles and tricycles are banned as: Apapa LGA, Apapa Iganmu LCDA, Lagos Mainland LGA, Yaba LCDA, Surulere LGA, Itire-Ikate LCDA, Coker-Aguda LCDA, Ikeja LGA, Onigbongbo LCDA, Ojodu LCDA, Eti-Osa LGA, Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA, Iru-Victoria Island LCDA, Lagos Island LGA and Lagos Island East LCDA.

Apart from banning the operations of Okada and Keke in these local government areas and development area councils, the Lagos State government also restricted their movement on 10 major highways, such as Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Oworonshoki-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos-Ikorodu Expressway, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Eti-Osa/Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Funsho Williams Avenue, Agege Motor Road and Eti-Osa Lekki.

Also Okada and Keke were barred from plying 40 coastal road bridges, like Iyana-Ipaja Bridge, Agege; Dopemu Bridge, Agege; Airport/Ikeja Bridge; Agege Motor road/Oshodi Loop, Oshodi; Mushin/Isolo Link Bridge; Dorman Long Bridge; Ojuelegba Bridge; National Stadium Flyover; Apapa-Iganmu Bridge; Apapa-Ijora Link Bridge; Liverpool Bridge, Apapa; Mile 2 Bridge-Loop, Amuwo-Odofin; Okota (Cele)/Ijesha Link Bridge; Apakun/Apapa-Oshodi Bridge Network; Ikorodu Road/Anthony Cloverleaf Bridge; Trade Fair Flyover Bridge; Festac/Amuwo-Odofin Link Bridge; two flyover bridges along Alhaji Masha Road; Ojota Cloverleaf Bridge; Ogudu Bridge and Third Mainland Bridge.

Other bridges affected include: Maryland Flyover; Ikeja General Hospital Flyover Bridge; Kodeso Bridge, Oba Akran Bridge, Ikeja; Opebi Link Bridge; Sheraton-Opebi Bridge; Jibowu/Yaba Flyover Bridge; Carter Bridge, Lagos; Bariga-Ifako Bridge; Apapa-Oshodi Expressway/Alapere Bridge; Bariga/Oworonsoki Bridge; Apapa-Oshodi Expressway/Gbagada U-Turn; Apapa-Oshodi Expressway; Third Mainland/Oworonsoki Bridge; Eko Bridge; Apongbon Flyover Bridge; Cowry Bridge (Officers Mess); Mcwen Bridge (Bonny Camp); Marina/Ikoyi Bridge and Ikoyi/Obalende Bridge.

Though it was the smallest, Lagos is the most populated, with the state Bureau of Statistics putting the population at 26.6 million.

Experts said the government must provide means of transportation to support the 22 million people, who must move from one point to the other in the state daily.

Okada and Keke operators, were simply latching on the huge supply gap to meet the demand of commuters who go through nightmare on the roads.

Pioneer Dean of the School of Transportation Studies at the Lagos State University, Dr Tajudeen Bawa’Allah said the government should be commended for its bold attempt to enforce the law.

He said the former governor’s decision to relax the enforcement in the last four years gave a wrong signal that led to the proliferation of the Okada and Keke operation in the state.

Bawa’Allah, who described the two as a last mile or rural means of  transportation, insisted that Okada and or Keke has no place or ought to have no place in the state’s transportation system and must not be encouraged.

He said what remained is for the government to increase its capacity and to bridge the gap that inadvertently allows for the unbridled activities of these modes of transportation.                      “What one would think is that the government would utilise this period when it was embarking on massive remediation of the roads to work on providing alternative means of transportation thereby ensuring a seamless transition from what the people are presently used to, to the more desirable means of transportation befitting of the state’s image as a mega city and an emerging smart city.

“However, now that the government has introduced the policy, Lagosians must rally round to ensure that it succeeds because it is in the overall interest of everyone,” the erudite transportation scholar said.

A resident, Michael Olatunji, said the government deserves kudos for deciding to ensure that everyone conforms with the law. “The government has done the right thing and should do everything possible to ensure that the ban or restriction subsists,” he said.

Read Also: Okada ban: Task force, miscreants clash in Lagos

According to him, no matter the gains Okada and Keke operators or patrons may outline, what is obvious is that this mode of transportation is rather too rudimentary and government must be encouraged to provide more comfortable alternative for the people.

He said Okada and Keke operators are reckless, undisciplined and suicidal on the roads. “They behave as if they are above the law, flouting traffic laws at will, or drive recklessly against traffic with reckless abandon. They would rather drive on the kerbs and any available space, drive against traffic or run people out of the road. These acts often lead to accidents, in most cases fatal.”

Olatunji, like other stakeholders, insists that more city buses should be injected into the road at subsidised rates. While the government must ensure strict compliance with the laws which forbids these operators to be on major roads in the listed local governments and other selected highways and bridges in the state.

Another resident, Abdulateef  Komolafe said the state government must encourage other modes of transportation to relief the roads of the burden for which it quakes. He said the government must insist on the delivery of the Blue line by next year, while the other six lines which have been advertised for bids must take off in earnest.

To drive the greater Lagos and the smart city dream, the government must move away from a single mode and deploy alternatives, especially modes to which it has comparative advantage to serve the people.

According to Komolafe,  this remains the only real way to drive Okada and Keke operators to the inner city roads and away from major roads in the state. This is the only way to ensuring that Okada and Keke have no place in the state’s transportation masterplan.

Justina Asishana

To save 600,000 lives and prevent 22 million injuries in low and middle-income countries, Bloomberg Philanthropies has announced that it is committing another $240 million from 2020 – 2025 to global road safety.

In a statement to newsmen in Sweden at the 3rd Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, the group said the reinvestment would be for six years and would double the impact of road safety.

Over 312,000 lives have been saved and up to 11.5 million injuries have been prevented since 2007, the NGO stated.

“Over the past 12 years, Bloomberg Philanthropies has invested $260 million to curb deaths and injuries from road traffic crashes. That investment has led ten countries (China, Russia, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam, Kenya, Brazil, Turkey, and India) and 12 localities to change their laws or policies to reduce at least one road safety risk factor.

“Over 3.5 billion people are now covered by a new road safety law or policy since the Initiative began”, the statement read.

“The reinvestment by Bloomberg Philanthropies would also include a new awards competition to shine a light on low and middle-income countries that have made exemplary progress in road safety.

“The Director of Public Health at Bloomberg Philanthropies, Kelly Henning said that by increasing their commitment to road safety, Bloomberg Philanthropies would be able to double its impact by leveraging on the lessons learned in the past and adopt new approaches that will accelerate progress in road safety.

READ ALSO: WHO to heads of state: address road traffic deaths as priority

“As Transport and Health Ministers from around the world gather in Sweden this week for the 3rd Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, we should keep in mind that these deaths and injuries are completely preventable.

“After more than a decade of working with our international and in-country partners, we know which policies and interventions are saving lives,” said Kelly.

The Director of the Department of Social Determinants of Health at the World Health Organization, Dr. Etienne Krug lamented the high price paid over mobility stating that it is unacceptable.

He stated that the support from Bloomberg Philanthropies would go a long way in reducing road traffic crisis adding that it would help in achieving the decade of action on Road Safety.

“The price we are paying for our mobility is unacceptable. We need to do much more to save lives on our roads. This new investment is excellent news that comes at a critical time when world leaders convene to decide on achieving a 50% reduction in road traffic deaths by 2030.

“This support from Bloomberg Philanthropies will catalyze action to help achieve that target.”

The battle against marine litters in Lagos may boost waterway transportation if the campaign to rid the state’s waters of life-threatening debris is sustained, writes ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE

The foliage of lush green water hyacinth and heaps of floating litters at Badore, where Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu launched eight new water ferries penultimate week, were enough to send the signals that Lagos State waterway is under a siege.

It was clear that if the government is to succeed in shifting passenger traffic to the waterways, it must either declare an emergency on the waterways or be ready to combat marine litters headlong.

When the state government launched, a week later, a blistering war against marine litters, stakeholders, especially boat operators, felt a huge relief and rallied round the government to spread the news.

Kicking off the waterways clean-up last Wednesday, Sanwo-Olu said it is imperative to save marine ecosystem and prevent accidents on the waterways.

According to him, it is sad that Lagos’ 187-km long Atlantic coastline and extensive lagoon system, which altogether constitute 22 percent of its land mass, are threatened by litters and environmental degradations. “The clean up exercise is the clearest signal of the administration’s commitment to a water transportation system that is safe, clean, efficient and eco-friendly,” the governor said.

Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, said  cleaner waterways would promote free and safe movements.

Commending the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) and other sister agencies for championing the campaign against indiscriminate dumping in the lagoon, he said the initiative would be sustained.

He said for the state to meet the huge transportation needs of an estimated population of 22 million, water transportation (an area where the state has high comparative advantage) must be exploited.

According to him, the government will continue to invest in water transportation to unlock traffic gridlock, ease commuters’pain, save travel time and promote economic integration of riverine communities.

He hinted that just as it has on land movements, the government was coming with a policy to drive its initiatives on the waterway.

“Without a policy, the government’s investment in water transportation would be a waste. The policy would aim at regular clean up and protection of all water channels against all forms of environmental degradation and abuses traceable to various human activities,” he said.

Though marine litters are multifaceted, the governor was able to categorise them into solid waste disposal, non-degradable pet bottle and sachet nylons, abandoned ship wreckages, and intentional dumping of fishing gears, among others.

For him, just as the government must be concerned about deepening travel count on the waterways, there is even a more urgent need to protect the villages and small towns close to the shores whose livelihoods depend largely on what happens on the waters.

The first phase of the campaign, which covers Lagos-East Senatorial District, will see the cleaning of 15 km of the city beach between Kuramo Waters on Victoria Island and Lekki Conservation Centre, 15 km striding Ilubirin, on Lagos Island and Periwinkle in Ikate and 4.8km of drainage outfalls within the senatorial area.

Shedding more light on the campaign, Oladeinde said his ministry, and the Ministry of the Environment would be storming marketplaces to sensitise traders and other members of the public to stop indiscriminate disposal of wastes.

Read Also: LASWA tightens safety on waterways

“Since waste generation begins on the land before getting washed into the water, it is critical to sensitise everyone to be careful in disposing all manners of wastes,” he said.

Oladeinde said with the cleaning of the waterways government hoped to reactivate water transportation which had dropped to about 25,000 monthly from about 50,000, and intended to sustain this for the rest of the year and gradually grow it.

The kick-off of the exercise, he said, would send the right signal that the government was committed to taking hard decisions in the interest of the people of the state. The exercise, he added, would take place simultaneously on the major routes, and across the five divisions of the state.

Oladeinde said though only six routes were navigable, the government would continue to work at activating the remaining 14 routes to achieve the 20 water routes listed in the state’s waterway masterplan.

He said marine litters were a danger not only to navigation and safe travel on the waterways but to the marine ecosystem and people living subsistent lives along the coastline.

According to him, aggressive enlightenment will be sustained at all markets abutting all littoral areas in the state until a policy is put in place to regulate the waterways.

He said the governor had mandated the LAWMA Marine to begin a massive clean up of the waterways, adding that the agency, which is under LAWMA, will sustain the government’s cleaning initiative on the waterways.

He said the agency had been equipped with appropriate equipments to carry out its operations, adding that LAWMA Marine is set to clean up not only the litters on the waters, but also mop up the water hyacinths that poses major challenge to water travels.

He said the government is determined to develop the waterways and sustained it to a point where it becomes a viable alternative to road mode of transportation in the state.

Managing Director, Halo Waters, Mr Andrew Lana, the operator of Waxi, Lagos Water Taxi, commended the government for its commitment to making the waterways navigable.

“This is the type of interventions that we operators welcome heartily from the government. This is because only the government has the capacity to clean the waterways in the state. It is our believe that the government would sustain this initiative and clean up every inch of the waterways,” he said.

Lana, who likened the marine litters to potholes or craters on the roads, said, contrary to bad road, which affects only the tyres, water hyacinths or marine litters spoils the engines of water vessels causing more grieve to operators.

Lana, whose Waxi operates charter, as well as passenger ferries from Ikorodu to Falomo jetty, however, urged the government merely regulate and not compete with the private sector on the waterways.

“With the benefit of hindsight as an operator with over a decade in the waterways sector, I can say dabbling into ferry operations will amount to an unfair competition with the private operators and this would not be fair on the part of the government.

Rather than directly operating ferries, government should just limit itself to regulating the sector and provision of waterways infrastructure such as jetties where operators can berth for fees.”

He said part of the challenges of the government’s involvement in the sector was the poor specification of the catamaran ferries purchased by the previous administration which design does not suit the operations of the state’s waterways.

“For me, the government cannot and should not be playing the dual role as a regulator and an operator on the waterways. Let the government leave the space for operators who are in business to make the waterways profitable. The government should limit itself to its regulatory role,” he said.

Lana believed the government would not win the war against the dumping of waste in the waterways if it refuses to make a scapegoat of those deliberately tipping wastes in the lagoons and waters across the state.

He said: “Areas, such as Majidun and Makoko, are well known to operators as places where some bad LAWMA PSP operators are fond of tipping wastes into the water. Along these areas, you can see heaps of wastes, which these reckless operators expected would be washed into the lagoon.

As the government engages the traders to stop dumping wastes directly into water channels, these PSP operators, especially along the state’s coastal villages and towns in Ikorodu, Epe, Ikeja, Makoko, up to Badagry must be sensitized to see why they must partner with the government to keep the waterways clean.”

He said if this could be done, the government would have been able to tackle the source generating the marine litters by more than 60 percent.

Lana stressed that the only way to make Lagos’waterways attractive to investors is to make it clean all year round. “No foreigner would bring his scarce resources into the waterways that is this dirty and unduly skewed against private enterprise as the government is competing against operators.

Let the government reduce its interference and clean up the waterways and watch how investors would storm in with their investments,” he said.

LASWA’s Waterways Cleanup Ambassador and 2017 first runner up in the Big Brother Naija (BBN) reality television show, Bisola Aiyeola, urged the public to join the campaign and keep the waterways clean. She said a lot of people are ignorant of the dangers of their activities on the state’s water bodies.

Aiyeola, who followed the commissioner and other top government functionaries to Ebute Ero, expressed hope that more people would join hands with the government in ensuring a cleaner waterways.

She said while the government is deploying massive resources cleaning the waterways, it is important to ensure that those generating the waste become aware of the danger their activities constitute to the larger society.

One of the operators, who gave his name as Jimoh, thanked the government for taking up the gauntlet to clean the waterways.

Jimoh, who plies Badore and its environs, said apart from abandoned logs of wood, very common on the state’s waterways are PET bottles, nylon sachets and other non degradable substances, including disused tyres. He urged the people to support the government by ending indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the waterways.

LASWA’s General Manager Damilola Emmanuel praised the governor’s commitment to the development of the waterways, which is exemplified by the purchase of eight new ferries taking the tally of ferries owned by the government to 14.

He disclosed that all of them were bought in the last five years.

Emmanuel assured that LASWA, as the regulator, and LAWMA Marine would continue aggressive enlightenment of stakeholders to keep the waterways free and safe for all users.

He said: “We shall continue on an aggressive campaign that we see us combing all markets, we shall encourage sorting of our wastes even as the government develop capacity for recycling some of these wastes which would not only generate secondary employment for our people but promote a cleaner and safer eco-friendly environment.”

He urged Lagosians to voluntarily stop the indiscriminate dumping of refuse, which, according to him, is by far cheaper as, failure to do so, would entail the government investing scarce resources into making the waterways clean, investor-friendly and navigable.

Kelvin Osa – Okunbor

Intervention Lead, Lagos Waterways, Mr. Kayode Khalidson has called on the State Government to embrace the integrated multi – modal transport system as part of strategies to address the increasing population, inadequate infrastructure and pressure on existing transport modes.

Khalidson said Lagos needs to deepen its integrated transport system to address issues related to pressure on rapid urban expansion, high population density, overstretched municipal services and environmental issues.

Speaking to The Nation in Lagos, he said an intervention led by a consortium Adams Smith International and the United Kingdom Government for Future Cities Nigeria was supporting transport and urban development in Lagos and Ogun State in improving transportation, capacity building, urban planning, renewal and inland water transport.

“The Future Cities Nigeria programme, he said is implemented by a consortium led by Adam Smith International in association with Infrastructure Delivery International , Thames Clippers and Becket Rankine.

As local partners of the project, Khalidson said the firms were carrying out studies on targeted interventions to improve transport systems in Lagos and Ogun States.

He said the firms were also carrying out full business cases for the licensing of operators of ferry, boat and freight operators.

Khalidson said the firms were designing a transportation and urban master plan for the Ogun State capital, Abeokuta.

He said the bodies have been working with Lagos State Government to deepen water transportation in the state.

The project, he said had become imperative in view of recent developments in the transportation sector in the state by reducing travel time and ease of movement.

The expert described the launch of some ferry boats by Lagos State Government as appropriate intervention needed critical to changing travel narrative in the mega city.

He described the Future City Project, as an United Kingdom initiative target at some developing countries to improve urban planning and transportation.

Khalidson said : ” In Lagos our brief is carry out outline and full business cases for the licensing of four ferry routes and guidelines for urban renewal for Lagos State and in Ogun State, we developing a new transport policy in Abeokuta.

“We are also carrying out full transport mater plan for Abeokuta . We are also working with an agency in Lagos on how to improve the waterways transportation. The whole idea is to ease the burden of residents of the city and the ease of their journey, improve security, save travel time”

He said Lagos and Ogun were lucky to be selected among 19 cities in 10 countries to benefit from the global initiative.

He said the consortium will carry out ranking and prioritization on 10 out of the 19 routes operated by Lagos Waterways and select four most viable routes.

He said the group will license operators on the selected four routes to operators after the extent of competition has been determined.

He said: “After the selection, this will give us the opportunity to pick the most financially viable operators and carry out pre- feasibility studies and licensing of the operators, which should attract a blend of local and international operators.”

READ ALSO: Fashola: how we foiled attempt to bomb Lagos

On ways to bridge infrastructural gaps in water transport value chain in Lagos, Khalidson said the group will identify terminals that need upgrade within the 18 months’ timeline given to conclude its task.

He said: “We are looking at utilizing existing terminal facilities, in any areas where we notice gaps; we will recommend steps to be taken.”

Khalidson said the consortium will also focus on freight component of water transportation saying emphasis on that value chain will assist to de-congest Lagos of trailers and take freight out of the roads into water.

He spoke of plans to streamline ferry and freight routes along the waterways.

Describing the project as public private sector participation, he said the most successful outcome of their work is to license ferry operators as full manifestation of public private sector participation.

He said: “We are looking at licensing ferry operators and concession a terminal operator , that will be a tremendous success. Our United Kingdom partners are already working on this.”

On multi – modal transportation in Lagos, Khalidson said since 2009, efforts have been on through the development of strategic master plan to achieve the feat for Lagos State.

The plan, he said has integration of all modes of transport at the heart of it , saying doing such will facilitate the seamless movement of many people from one mode of transport to another.

He said: ” Part of the study we carried out on Lagos is integration, which was part of the team’s work .The key thing that will facilitate this is to fix the roads that lead to the terminal. More importantly the bus rapid transport and non-motorized transport to walk or either cycle to the terminal.

The rail project will be important, once it comes on stream.