The Managing Director, Lekki Concession Company Limited (LCC), Mr. Mubashiru Hassan, has warned tipper lorry drivers plying the Eti-Osa Lekki-Epe Expressway to desist from carrying wet sand on the expressway or risk being prosecuted for violating relevant laws.
He gave this warning during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Eti-Osa Lekki headquarters of the company with baales and community leaders in its catchment area.
Hassan noted that the tipper lorry drivers had caused untold damage to the expressway because of the salty nature of the wet sand spilling on the road.
“We have been prosecuting them in the magistrate’s courts for committing this offence and the courts have been imposing heavy fines on them, yet the fines have not deterred them from carrying wet sand on our roads.
“It got to a point whereby we felt the courts should impose community service sanctions on them, as such punishment may probably stop them from committing this offence, but this has also proved not to be punitive enough. Now, we are left with no option than to appeal to the law courts to impose the maximum punishment of jail terms if they do not desist from carrying wet sand on the expressway,” he said.
The company boss, who decried the alarming rate of street kid beggars and hawkers in its catchment area, said: “The situation is now embarrassing as beggars now have the effrontery to knock on motorists’ doors and windows to beg for alms. We shall no longer treat this situation with kid gloves as it has become a threat to the lives and properties of residents in the various host communities. Consequently, any beggar apprehended will be made to face the wrath of the laws of the state.”
Hassan appealed to the community leaders at the meeting to prevail on their subjects not to dump refuse indiscriminately on the streets, but to put it in refuse bins provided by the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) at designated points.
“The Eti-Osa Lekki-Epe Expressway is now an international route, hence the company is doing everything possible to make it clean at all times,” he said.
Meanwhile, not less than six commercial motor cycle riders, popularly known as okada riders have been arrested for contravening traffic rules on the Lekki-Ikoyi Tp3 link bridge.
According to the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of LCC, Mr Solomon Tolofari, they were arrested for riding one way along the bridge on Thursday.
He lamented that most of the arrested motorcyclists were uniformed security operatives.
“They are fond of using their uniforms to break traffic rules, most especially on the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge. We appeal to the relevant authorities concerned to call this set of people to order,” Tolofari said.
He said the six motorcycles had been handed over to the Lagos State Task Force in Oshodi for crushing.
