After several weeks of traffic gridlock, respite came yesterday, on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, as tankers and other articulated vehicles disappeared from the ever-busy road. The disappearance of tankers is believed to be in response to the directive by Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode to the drivers to vacate the road immediately when he led top officials of the state government and security agencies, last Thursday, on an on-the-spot assessment of major traffic points in the area.
Ambode also announced the immediate setting up of a special enforcement taskforce to ensure 24 hours surveillance of traffic flow, while stressing that the Lagos Road Traffic Law should strictly be enforced to the latter. It was gathered that the special enforcement taskforce stormed the area in the early hours of yesterday, about 4 am forcefully removing some of the tankers for flouting the governor’s directive and state traffic law.
Seeing the seriousness of the taskforce, the other tanker drivers quickly drove off to avoid their vehicles being impounded. The armed taskforce, it was gathered, was supported by men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, to carry out the enforcement.
When Governor Ambode visited he said; “We will pay more attention to enforcement. From this evening (last Thursday) you would see that there will be more attention on enforcement which we will fund adequately. We are going to give incentives to our law enforcement officers to ensure that the Lagos Traffic Law is obeyed.”
The indiscriminate parking on the highway by tankers which had defied all solutions in the past resulted in terrible traffic gridlock and break down of law and order in the area. Meanwhile, against the usual situation, the stretch of Oshodi-Apapa Express road was yesterday, free of any traffic gridlock. The usual presence of tankers on both sides of the main carriage way and service lane was absent.
Some motorists and residents, who spoke to Chat212, commended the governor for living up to his word and urged him to sustain the current tempo, particularly during the week when traffic is expected to be heavy along the axis. Mr. Michael Okon, a resident in Kirikiri area, said, “Ï am really happy that this road can be free like this again, because several efforts in the past to achieve this had failed.
“Though, it is not yet Uhuru, Ï implore our amiable governor not to rest on his oars by ensuring that these tankers never return to the road in the interest of the general public.” Also Mr. Omoniyi Oriade, a cab operator, who heaved a sigh of relief, said, “This is a temporary relief, the taskforce should be alert during the week because that is when the volume of traffic is high. These recalcitrant drivers may come back. Therefore, government should sustain it with intense vigour.”
Ambode also announced the immediate setting up of a special enforcement taskforce to ensure 24 hours surveillance of traffic flow, while stressing that the Lagos Road Traffic Law should strictly be enforced to the latter. It was gathered that the special enforcement taskforce stormed the area in the early hours of yesterday, about 4 am forcefully removing some of the tankers for flouting the governor’s directive and state traffic law.
Seeing the seriousness of the taskforce, the other tanker drivers quickly drove off to avoid their vehicles being impounded. The armed taskforce, it was gathered, was supported by men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, to carry out the enforcement.
When Governor Ambode visited he said; “We will pay more attention to enforcement. From this evening (last Thursday) you would see that there will be more attention on enforcement which we will fund adequately. We are going to give incentives to our law enforcement officers to ensure that the Lagos Traffic Law is obeyed.”
The indiscriminate parking on the highway by tankers which had defied all solutions in the past resulted in terrible traffic gridlock and break down of law and order in the area. Meanwhile, against the usual situation, the stretch of Oshodi-Apapa Express road was yesterday, free of any traffic gridlock. The usual presence of tankers on both sides of the main carriage way and service lane was absent.
Some motorists and residents, who spoke to Chat212, commended the governor for living up to his word and urged him to sustain the current tempo, particularly during the week when traffic is expected to be heavy along the axis. Mr. Michael Okon, a resident in Kirikiri area, said, “Ï am really happy that this road can be free like this again, because several efforts in the past to achieve this had failed.
“Though, it is not yet Uhuru, Ï implore our amiable governor not to rest on his oars by ensuring that these tankers never return to the road in the interest of the general public.” Also Mr. Omoniyi Oriade, a cab operator, who heaved a sigh of relief, said, “This is a temporary relief, the taskforce should be alert during the week because that is when the volume of traffic is high. These recalcitrant drivers may come back. Therefore, government should sustain it with intense vigour.”
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