Oziegbe Okoeki and Olatunde Odebiyi
THE Lagos State government has expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance with traffic laws by traders and transport unions at Oyingbo and Iddo as the seven days ultimatum expired on Wednesday.
Commissioner for Transportation Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, who led top government officials to Oyingbo/Otto/Iddo axis to monitor the level of compliance, stated that there was an appreciable level of success in the compliance by the traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged them to continue in that direction so as to free the metropolis of traffic gridlock as soon as possible
He explained that there would be regular monitoring and engagement of all relevant stakeholders to ensure total compliance with the state traffic laws and to achieve ease in traffic flow as agreed at the stakeholders meeting on Traffic Management Intervention Plan across the state.
Dr. Oladeinde expressed regret that most of the traffic gridlocks experienced in the 60 identified locations were caused by non-compliance with the law.
Accompanied by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr. Oluwatoyin Fayinka, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Olawale Musa and other top government officials, the commissioner said the state government would consolidate the success achieved at Oyingbo to ensure compliance in other identified locations.
At Otto Railway line in Oyingbo, the commissioner gave the residents blocked the drainage channel with filth 24hours ultimatum to to clear the drains or face the wrath of the law.
He said constant blockage of drainage channels and erection of illegal structures and shanties on waterways is responsible for frequent floods, warning that the State Government would not condone any form of illegality capable of undermining government’s efforts at delivering good governance to the residents.
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“When you block drainage channels just as you have done here, everywhere becomes flooded, because you have hindered free flow of water in this area by dumping your refuse into the drains, you have made the whole of these axes to be prone to flooding, we hereby give you 24 hours to de-silt this drain or face the Law” Oladeinde ordered.
The commissioner who frowned at the illegal activities of commercial motorcyclists popularly revered to as Okada in the area, warned that the State Government will no longer contain their excesses.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr. Oluwatoyin Fayinka warned that any vehicle, motorcycle and tricycle caught obstructing free flow of traffic through illegal parking will be removed by relevant enforcement bodies, adding that the Ministry will be partnering with the Local Government Chairmen across the State to unlock the identified gridlock- points.
While commending leaders of traders and road unions at Oyingbo for ensuring compliance, Oladeinde appealed to Lagosians to bear with the State Government, assuring that various ongoing road rehabilitation across the state would improve traffic situation in the metropolis.
The state government also called on stakeholders operating in Lagos Island business district to cooperate with the state government to curb environmental and traffic issues within the business district.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Central Business Districts, Prince Anofiu Olarenwaju Elegushi made the call yesterday, at an interactive meeting of stakeholders operating in the Lagos Island Business District held at the Onikan Youth Centre, Onikan, Lagos.
He said the essence of the meeting is to deliberate and foster synergy of purpose on how to tackle issues such as traffic management, violation of physical planning laws, security, waste management, street trading and other salient issues relating to the operations and development of the Lagos Island Business District.
He decried the nuisance of street trading and display of wares on walkways and roads, calling on market leaders and owners of shops and plazas whose shops have been extended to the roads to remove them immediately or face the full wrath of the environmental and physical planning laws of the State.
He also called on commercial tricycles and motorbike operators to obey the ban placed on them not to operate in some part of the Lagos Island Business District which he listed as Inner Marina, Broad Street, Nnamdi Azikwe Street, Inner and Outer Marina, Martins Street, Balogun Street, Davies Street amongst others
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