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Tag: traffic gridlock

  • I’ve political will to tackle traffic gridlock – Ambode

    I’ve political will to tackle traffic gridlock – Ambode

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday assured the people of the State of his strong political will to take tough decisions and implement effective strategies to bring about a robust traffic management system in the State.

    Ambode, who stated this at the Traffic Management and Transportation Summit organised by the State Government, said as a government, his administration is keenly committed to make Lagos work for all, and that effective traffic management, for him, is a good place to start.

    The Governor observed that with the realities on ground, there is the need for practical and innovative solutions to address the traffic challenges confronting the State to deliver immediate dividends and future aspirations.

    He said: “Lagos, in many ways, is a victim of its own success as many people leave other states and travel to Lagos seeking better opportunities. More Nigerians want to reside in Lagos and this obviously comes with some challenges.”

    “As one of the leading commercial centres and an emerging City-State, we need to go back to the drawing board and agree on how our transportation sector can be effectively and efficiently operated to support the kind of trade and investment we want to continually attract.”

    “We need to collectively examine how transportation sector can improve public sector delivery through better institutional framework, quality transport infrastructure and then tackle wasteful and socially harmful transport patterns. You will agree with me that the ease of travelling, mobility and communication are critical fuels for our State economic engine,” the Governor said.

    Reflecting on the circumstances of high population and pressing need for economic growth, Governor Ambode said there is a strong need for stakeholders in the transport sector to evaluate and articulate smarter and effective strategies that would reduce congestion across the roads.

    While emphasising the need for all stakeholders to work together to ensure a commuter-friendly and productive Lagos that promotes a shared sense of vision and leadership opportunities for all, the Governor stressed the need for the consideration of how to make other means of transportation more viable and attractive to reduce the pressure on the roads.

    He added: “As a Government that is keen on promoting business and creating wealth opportunities for our residents, we are committed to seeking and funding substantial and comprehensive solutions to traffic challenges, therefore we are ready to take tough recommendations you come out with.”

    “We owe it to the people to ensure Lagos works for all. Tackling traffic is a good place to start; a good place to begin the significant change that our people expect from us. Let us make Lagos work for us all,” the Governor said.

    Earlier in his welcome address, Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Dayo Mobereola said the summit was put together in furtherance of Governor Ambode’s determination and commitment to genuinely address the traffic challenges confronting the State.

    He added that the summit was also aimed at jointly developing workable system and solution with all stakeholders with the view to articulate and share knowledge and explore innovative approaches to free the roads and help in developing a robust traffic management.

    On his part, Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Boboye Oyeyemi said because of its strategic importance to Nigeria’s economy, Lagos accounts for about 70 percent of the country’s transportation network and over 30 percent of vehicular density in Nigeria.

    He added that there are about 40 petroleum tank farms in Lagos, and that the best way to tackle traffic gridlock is full enforcement of traffic laws and regulations.

    While calling for synergy among the enforcement agencies, Oyeyemi also urged the State Government to establish Mobile Traffic Courts so as to further boost and compliment traffic enforcement.

    The summit was with the theme: “Tackling Current, Evolving and Future Traffic Management Needs of Lagos State.”

    There were sector perspectives from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), among others, while the lead paper was presented by Dr. Gboyega Banjo, a traffic management expert who worked with the World Bank for 17 years.

  • Lagos, FRSC join forces against traffic gridlock

    Lagos, FRSC join forces against traffic gridlock

    Lagos State Ministry of Transportation is to partner the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to ease traffic gridlock.

    Towards the end, a team comprising the Vehicle Inspection Services (VIS), the Lagos State Traffic Management authority (LASTMA) and FRSC officials will hold joint patrol.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Prince Anofiu Elegushi told FRSC Lagos State Sector Commander Hyginus Omeje in his Alausa, Ikeja office yesterday, that managing traffic in Lagos required all related agencies to work together.

    He said many motorists did not have valid papers, adding that the government is receptive to ideas on traffic management.

    Transportation, he said, was at the heart of the state’s economy and cannot be taken for granted.

    The Special Adviser urged drivers and commuters to exercise patience on the road.

    Omeje said the joint patrol team would check the quality of vehicles on the road and ensure compliance with traffic and other extant laws.

    He called for an expansion of the state security council to include other agencies, such as FRSC as is the case in Edo State.

    Omeje advocated the establishment of mobile courts to those arrested by the patrol team.

  • Lagos moves against lawless motorists

    Lagos moves against lawless motorists

    Lagos state Government has reiterated its commitment to ensure absolute enforcement of the state traffic laws owing to the increasing traffic gridlock on the roads.

    It has promised that lawless motorists found culpable would be prosecuted.

    This was disclosed at a joint press briefing addressed by Permanent Secretary Ministry of Transportation Mr. Seyi Whenu; Permanent Secretary Ministry of Works Engineer Ajibade Adebowale; Permanent Secretary Ministry of Environment Mr. Toyin Onisarotu, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Information Mr. Folarin Adeyemi as well as the General Manager of LASTMA Mr. Bashir Braimoh which held at at Bagauda Kalto Press Center Wednesday.

    According to them, investigations by agencies of the state government revealed that the increasing traffic gridlock being experienced across the state is not unconnected with the misinterpretation of the instruction of Governor Ambode when he said enforcement of the state traffic laws be done with human face and total courtesy.

    The permanent secretaries explained that the governor’s instruction should not be misinterpreted as relaxation of enforcement, saying anyone caught violating the state traffic law would be prosecuted.

    According to the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Works; Mr. Adebowale, “the state government is not unaware of the traffic gridlock that is increasing in the state in recent time but most of the gridlocks are caused by massive construction and rehabilitation of roads that is going on and measures are being put in place to check mate this.

    “We have also called on all the contractors to double efforts and ensure speedy completion of the roads so that people would not have to suffer and endure the hardship for long.”

    Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Information, Mr. Folarin Adeyim; revealed at the briefing that over 500 traffic offenders have been booked and fined so far, just as he said the state government through LASTMA would continue to ensure sanity and free flow traffic on Lagos roads.

    Folarin said: “On enforcement, I want to tell you that over 500 road traffic offenders have been ticketed till date. The officials of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) are on the road enforcing the state traffic laws diligently. They are not disgruntled in anyway.”

  • Lawmaker appeals to Apapa residents over traffic gridlock

    Member of the Lagos state House of Assembly representing Apapa constituency 1 at the Lagos state House of Assembly, Hon. Mufutau Egberongbe has appealed to the people of Apapa to persevere and exercise some patience with the state government over the traffic situation in Apapa.

    Egberongbe made the appeal while responding to questions from reporters after commissioning a block of public toilets which he renovated at the Apapa General hospital at Apapa on Wednesday.

    Though the lawmaker said he still was not happy with the traffic situation despite the seeming improvement, he however pointed out that “we are however not where we were yesterday as far as the traffic issue is concerned.

    He promised that the state government will continue to collaborate with the Federal Government to ensure that the traffic gridlock becomes a thing of the past in Apapa.

    “A major prerequisite of attaining that is the use of the inland waterways. Prior to this time our navigable waterways remain  a veritable source of transporting goods in Nigeria as a whole and I think we need to go back to them. They are relatively cheaper, all we need is for the FG to collaborate with the state government.

    “Just bring our railways back on track, let’s use our waterways to carry these cargoes. It is not new, it is what we were using before in this nation, let’s go back to it. We should not begin to play politics with the lives of our people, it is not going to serve anybody any good”, Egberongbe said.

    Reiterating the call for a special status for Lagos state, Egberongbe said “Lagos is a cosmopolitan state where people from all over the country are represented; we will be doing a serious disservice to our people and nation if we fail to do what we should do for the state.

    “The state remains the economic capital of Nigeria and if we over stretch the infrastructure, it might eventually cave-in and collapse and that would affect our economy. The ever growing GDP of the state, the so-called largest economy in Africa ascribed to Nigeria, reasonable percentage of these economic activities reside in Lagos. So Lagos state represents Nigeria and we will all have to pay for it, including the FG if we fail to do what we are supposed to do.

    “Let’s give the state a special status, let’s give something back to the state in terms of our VAT, derivation etc., so that the Nigerian nation will be better for it”, Egberongbe said.

  • NPA chief orders ports’ access roads cleared

    NPA chief orders ports’ access roads cleared

    THE Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mallam Habib Abdullahi, has expressed displeasure with the number of trucks abandoned on the ports’ access roads.

    He has directed that the trucks be evacuated to ease cargo movement.

    Traffic gridlock, he said, is a major problem, adding that a committee would be set up to solve it.

    The NPA boss, who toured the ports, hailed terminal operators for their contributions to trade facilitation and infrastructure upgrade at the seaports.

    He said port concessionaires were fulfilling their own part of the concession agreement with the Federal Government.

    Abdullahi praised terminal operators for their investments at Apapa and Tin Can ports.

    “There is, no doubt, when you look at the level of investments in terms of several billions of Naira our terminal operators have sunk here to boost seamless cargo clearance at the ports.

    ‘’We also thank the Federal Government for giving port concession a chance in this country, and you can see the success story today. So, port concession is successful in Nigeria,” he said.

    Abdullahi said he visited the Lagos ports for first hand information on investment and to see some of the challenges facing the sector.

    He said the new management of the authority was determined to succeed and tasked the staff and other maritime stakeholders to come forward with good ideas and suggestions that would promote port operations.

    The Lagos ports, he said, could compete favourably with the ports of Dubai, Singapore and other modern ports, if the government’s efforts to make the seaports the hub in the sub-region were complemented by stakeholders.

  • Cross River tackles traffic gridlock

    Traffic jams have caught up with residents of Calabar, the Cross River capital. Before November 2009, when commercial motorcycles popularly known as okada were banned, gridlocks were alien to the city. Not anymore.

    Since the ban, residents, who once patronised okada, have turned to their own cars. Now, a bedlam of car horns has become a part of the city, as have traffic jams, making a drive from one part of the city to another a major challenge.

    But the Liyel Imoke administration is tackling the growing menace in the metropolis.

    How? The state government believes the best way is to discourage the residents from using their private cars, thereby reducing the number of cars on the road.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Transportation, Mr Edem Ekong, says the only solution is effective mass transportation.

    Ekong told Newsextra: “If we are going to reduce congestion, the only way forward is mass transportation. If every man depends on his car to get to where he wants to get to, there would be congestion. But if people move from depending on their vehicles to entering reliable and efficient mass transportation, then you have a few more cars off the road.

    “We want Cross River State to be the premier second-hand car market in the next five to seven years. That is to say instead of going to Belgium to buy 18-year-old cars, you would be able to buy second-hand cars here in Cross River because our mass transit would be so efficient that people would leave their cars at home and enter the buses that we would provide, thereby giving their vehicles second-hand value. The reason why we buy those cars from Belgium and other countries places is because the owners do not drive them every day. So buy the time you buy the car it is still a car. Mass transit is the way forward.”

    Ekong said they were getting a commercial loan to acquire the 35 coaster buses in the first batch.

    He said: “We prefer coaster buses because of their size and our roads instead of the large Benz we had for MetroBlue. We have identified the coaster bus that has two doors. We don’t like the middle door because coming in and out can be a problem. So there is a Tata Marco Polo 26-seater and 33-seater two-door Coaster that we are in the process of acquiring.

    “These buses would be given to the private sector to be supervised by the mass transit corporation.

    “We intend for these buses to run on schedule. That is to say, there would be routes and there would be timetables and they would run on schedule. We recognise that this may take a while to establish knowing our ways and cultures. We also have seen where others have succeeded. ABC Transport, when it started, would always leave on time; that is why people came to rely and depend on it. That is what we want to do. We have retained consultants. We have carried out traffic study. We have an indication of how long it will take given traffic lights, how long it takes to get for example a bus to get from Effio Ette to Rabana, so based on those studies, we are able to arrive at preliminary timing, which as we do the test run, we would adjust as necessary. But we want a situation where we would say that a bus would be at the bus stop at 9.15 and it would be there at 9.15. If it is leaving at 9.17, it would leave at 9.17 whether or not anybody is inside. We believe if that happens from three to six months, everybody would begin to see the efficacy.

    Ekong believed that as they make parking and other things a bit more stringent people would find it cheaper and safer to enter the buses.

    “The buses would be kept clean and they would be run efficiently. We will then be able to maximize on our MetroBlue buses because we would take them, clean them up and those would be the ones plying intercity routes and at lower rates so that market women and goods can use those ones and allow these smaller ones for other people. The incorporation of the bus mass transit corporation is on-going, acquisition of the buses is on-going, and we believe that in the next 30 days or so that transaction should have been concluded.

    The search for a private operator has commenced. Government understands that it must succeed in public transportation, because once the transportation sector is working, most other sections of the economy would also function a bit more