Directs workers to treat gunshot, trauma victims

Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde; Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Planet projects Engineer during the Governor’s inspection of the removal of the 2nd Lekki Roundabout on Saturday, December 28, 2019.

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Following the discovery of 60 traffic gridlock junctions across the metropolis, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has reassured residents of his administration’s commitment to rid the state of gridlock.

Sanwo-Olu gave the assurance Saturday evening while inspecting the removal of second Lekki roundabout as part of Junction improvements for a free flow of vehicular movement along the Lekki corridors.

Sanwo-Olu had embarked on the removal of some roundabouts identified as the major causes of traffic gridlock being experienced by motorists.

Four roundabouts including Ikotun, second roundabout on the Lekki-Epe Expressway, Allen Avenue roundabout and Maryland will be removed to pave the for road expansion and free flow of traffic.

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The government, through the Ministry of Transportation, explained that removal of some roundabouts and street furniture such as giant billboards would give room for road expansion and strategically ease off traffic congestion in some parts of the metropolis.

Sanwo-Olu, while at the project site, encouraged the contractors handling the projects to keep up with the current pace of work so as to ensure its completion in record time.

Speaking on the level of work done by men of the State’s environmental task force, who had gone earlier to clean up the illegal structures built on the right of way, Sanwo-Olu expressed satisfaction, saying that government would immediately move in and start work in the area to avoid further encroachment and illegal occupation of the large expanse of land.

Recall that last week, the state’s Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Fredrick Oladeinde, who accompanied Sanwo-Olu to inspect the project, described the decision to improve the junctions as a strategic repositioning of the roads to ease traffic congestion.

According to him, the government started off through the discovery of 60 traffic gridlocks junctions and areas across the state.

He told journalists that: “Sufficiently, the junction improvement work that is being conducted on the four roundabouts includes the following:“Removal of roundabouts, separate streams of traffic through Traffic Signal Lights, (TSL) synchronize all TSLs through intelligent traffic systems which will recognise the densities of traffic streams and give priorities accordingly.

“Introduce stacking lanes for both left and right turns at these junctions which will also contribute to increasing the capacities of our roads at the junctions thereby reducing travel time.”

In another development, the state government has appealed to all health care providers including public and private health facilities operating in the state to stop the trend of rejecting gunshot victims and other trauma patients on the excuse of requiring a police report or the need to provide evidence of funds before commencing treatment.

State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi who issued the statements, on Sunday, while reacting to investigations by the Ministry of Health revealed that some health facilities in the state are in the habit of rejecting or delaying care to trauma victims which has in some cases resulted in avoidable loss of lives.

He noted that several times such patients are not in a position to discuss the incidence or finance and are often brought in by good Samaritans.

He urged hospitals, health centres and clinics to offer immediate comprehensive care to gunshot victims and other trauma patients without let or hindrance in line with the Federal Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017.

“These deaths would have been avoided if health care providers were conversant with the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017 which stipulates that victims of gunshot and traumatic accidents should receive immediate treatment when presenting to healthcare facilities,” Oladeinde stated.

Vanguard