By Kingsley Adegboye

CONTRARY to recent claim by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State that he has fixed the logjam on the Apapa/Oshodi Expressway as he promised, gridlock on the ever-busy dual carriageway has remained a recurring decimal following deplorable condition of some sections of the expressway.

The gridlock is further compounded by the ongoing reconstruction of the road which has narrowed traffic to only service lane from Second Rainbow inward Apapa, just as traffic is restricted to service lane beginning from Tin Can end for Oshodi bound vehicular movement.

This gridlock nightmare has left road users plying the expressway lamenting on daily basis over their sad experience.

Sanwo-Olu who appeared as a guest on Channels TV’s “Politics Tonight” on August 13, said he “Has fixed the gridlock and there is no apology to that”.

He said: “Seun, I’m looking straight into the camera. I have fixed the Apapa gridlock. And there is no apology for that. I have fixed it. You can go around asking. I’m on national TV.

“What we have done in Apapa, even NPA has written letters to commend us. All the major businesses in Apapa have written to us to commend us. I get daily recordings of what is happening in Apapa and I’ve gotten the one of today.

“I will get it tomorrow morning between 7 am and 9 am, also between 1 pm and 3 pm. I get this report on a daily basis. Residents in Apapa have written to thank me. A journey that used to take them two to three hours now takes them 20 minutes.”

Road users groan

For Apapa-Oshodi road users, they can never agree with Mr Governor that the gridlock on the expressway has been fixed and that all is well with traffic situation in the axis.

Our correspondent can authoritatively report that gridlock on the route goes worse by the day due to bad portions of the road coupled with haphazard construction works by the contractor handling the reconstruction of the entire expressway beginning from Liverpool end of Apapa and terminating at the old toll gate along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Groaning continues everyday for motorists and commuters, plying the expressway as they go through tough times, accessing their businesses and offices in Apapa axis and environs due to gridlock.

It is on record that the expressway has been experiencing traffic snarls for years, but the situation has recently taken a different dimension because of reconstruction works going on the dual carriageway.

Yesterday’s experience was particularly harrowing as motorists, who were trying to manoeuvre the gridlock, compounded the situation, leaving commuters with tales of lamentations having spent several hours between Second Rainbow and Berger Yard.

Apart from the unruly behaviour of some motorists, articulated vehicles have taken over greater parts of the only service lane left for everybody, thereby causing other road users to remain stranded.

The construction company, currently working on Section 2 of the expressway, which is between Sunrise and Cele Bus stops, has worsened traffic nightmare on the highway by demarcating and barricading the service lanes of the dual carriageway, which serve as access roads to people’s destinations.

Lagos to connect Lekki, Ikorodu with ferry

LAGOS—AS a way of connecting the Lekki/Ajah axis with other parts of Lagos by water transportation, the Lagos State government said it will embark on the construction of the Lekki Estate Ferry Terminal, in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

Disclosing this, Mr Tunji Solaja of the Lekki Estate Ferry Terminal Limited, said: “The project is part of efforts by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to make the state more convenient to live for residents and becoming one of the most beautiful cities in Africa. The governor, in fulfilling the T.H.E.M.E.S development agenda, which represents the six pillars of the state’s strategic development agenda, namely: Traffic Management and Transportation, Health and Environment, Education and Technology, Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy, Entertainment and Tourism, as well as Security and Governance, has left no stone unturned since he was elected.”

Lagos taskforce impounds over 300 bikes

Operatives of the Lagos State Taskforce, yesterday, carried out numerous raids and operations in areas like Oko-Oba, Local Airport Road and Abeokuta Expressway where it had been reported that some commercial motorcycle operators popularly known as okada have been operating despite the ban on their activities in some parts of the metropolis.

Speaking on the recent activities of the agency, Chairman of the taskforce, CSP Shola Jejeloye highlighted that the enforcement of the ban on the activities of okada operations in the restricted areas would be a continous one due to the fact that there are still some of them who are foolhardy and bent on riding their bikes with no regard for the laid down traffic rules of the State.

Jejeloye said: “During the course of carrying out their lawful duties today, officers of the Agency were provoked by a knife wielding butcher who injured one of the officers. These are some of the professional hazards we face daily on the job.

“The level of compliance of the ban on okada activities is very impressive but we still have some rebellious operators who ply in the evenings or sometimes weekends, thinking we are going to be relaxed at those times. We have corrected that thought by impounding the bikes and arresting both riders and passengers who will be made to face the court immediately.”