Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday visited some of the major traffic points in the metropolis, stating that his administration will provide solutions to traffic snarls in the State just as he approved the construction of a Pedestrian Bridge at Ojodu Berger Bus Stop.
The Governor, who spoke with Government House Correspondents at Dopemu in Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area, after the inspection, said he decided to visit the traffic points himself to get a first hand experience of what the situation is.
“We’ve seen that we’ve been to 3rd Mainland, Oworonshoki, Ketu, Abule-Egba, Alimosho and then we’ve gone to Mile 12.That’s not the end of the story. We’re still going to Apapa and Mile 2. The truth is that we must start to have solutions to our traffic challenges in the state and that’s what we are doing.
“I have here with me, heads of agencies that are really concerned about the traffic situation. I like them to speak to you directly and let you know that we are together as a team, we’re going to start seeing solutions to the traffic challenges that we experience in Lagos.
“It’s not enough for us stay in the office and believe that we can create solutions to the traffic challenge that we have in the state. So, we decided that we are going to go round ourselves and see how we can improve on the traffic situation in Lagos. What we have done in the last three hours is to show that we are greatly concerned about the traffic gridlock that we have been experiencing in the last few months”, the Governor said in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Habib Aruna.
Speaking further on the pedestrian bridge at Berger, the Governor said “We have seen that Berger needs a foot bridge and immediately the engineers are going to go to work and we will make sure that we put something there. We don’t want any traffic on that highway, so we are already thinking of additional solutions to allow vehicles to extend outside of the highway. That’s an engineering work and it’s already been considered”.
He added that in addition to the footbridge, the State Government would also ensure that it makes the road free at all times, because whatever happens there, there is a fall back on the 3rd Mainland which may extend to the Oworonshoki end of the axis.
The Governor, while addressing some residents at Go-ye Junction in Dopemu gave an assurance that the State will create traffic lights and expand the road at the two ends so that people can turn easily without creating traffic, adding that he shares their concern about traffic bottleneck in the area.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Seyi Coker who also spoke, expressed optimism that with the inspection Lagosians would see some improvement on the roads.
“So we are assuring that very soon from today, we are going to have some improvement on Lagos roads and that is what we have done. You can see that at all the points the Governor came down himself to see and pointed to situations, asked questions”.
Coker recalled that Governor Ambode on assumption of office, directed that the Ministry of Transportation identify problematic traffic points in the metropolis and that the ministry complied immediately and checked places like Ketu, the Underground and the Service lane.
The General Manager of Lagos State Public Works Corporation, Engineer Ayotunde Sodeinde who also spoke said the Governor has approved funds for the Agency to start work immediately.
“We are going to work as from Monday. We would not work during the day so that we would not obstruct traffic, we would work during the night and we have a lot of LSPWC gang that would handle all these situation”.
“Very soon, you would see us in action and you would see what they call a new face of Public Works. Lagos roads will be free and motorable”, he said.
The Governor was accompanied by top government functionaries, including the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello and heads of traffic agencies and other top government officials.
