Bisina Somto, PBA Journalism MenteeIt’s still a nightmare for commuters on Lagos/Ibadan Expressway as bad portions of the road, especially the Kara Market area in Ogun State, continue to cause gridlock.
Travelers, on Friday, spent hours in traffic at the Magboro-Berger section of the road, a worrisome situation that has continued for weeks due to the reduction of the four-lane expressway to two as reconstruction goes on. The situation, however, hot worse on Friday, as the demarcated section of the road at the Kara Market area inward Lagos from Ogun was further narrowed down to one lane.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe narrowness of the road was a result of fallen containers and the reckless driving tanker drivers. A motorist, Babajide Taiwo, who spoke to Prime Business Africa (PBA), said, he saw ”two containers lying on the side of the road. I believe they fell off some trucks which must have been towed off the road.”
Motorists, who were trying to link Lagos through the U-turn close to the Kara Market section, also compounded the traffic.
The increasing number of hurrying motorists driving on one way to beat the gridlock constitute even greater menace for others on one part of the Expressway inward Ogun from Lagos.
A commercial bus driver (Danfo), who identified himself as Aziz, said “I don’t know where everybody is rushing to, if everybody stay on their lanes, we would leave here in time, but Nigerians don’t listen. The Government should also stop these tankers from driving during the day, they don’t obey traffic rules at all.”
On possible solutions, a commuter, Temitope, told PBA that the situation on the road was worrisome, given that the contractor was insensitive to the plight of road users.
He said, “The traffic can be avoided if Julius Berger had done the needful. The issue is that they are not bothered by the hours we waste on the road.
“The road should have been made passable before dividing it into two. The road is supposed to be four lanes, but they were reduced to two to accommodate ongoing reconstruction.
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“We expected that the bad portions should have been fixed, before dividing the road or better still, ensure that the alternative unasphalted roads by the Expressway are motorable, then they can go on with the main expressway which they are reconstructing.
“I have to spend four hours from Magboro to Berger every day. It is such a stressful experience, she said.
A resident of Magboro, Timothy Oke, said he had to find an alternative place to sleep pass the night on Friday because of the gridlock.
“I already knew about the situation on the road, so I prepared for it.
“The reconstruction has made many of us abandon our homes, made us squarters with friends in Lagos.
“For about two months now, I always leave home on Mondays only to return on Fridays.
“On Friday while returning home, there was an unusual traffic gridlock and the whole Berger area was at a total standstill. After some hours of waiting, I had to return to Lagos to sleep over,” he said.
What federal government is saying:
It would be recalled that the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing (FMWH), had said that it was not oblivious of the current traffic gridlock being experienced by road users around the Berger-Opic Axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as a result of the ongoing reconstruction works.
“The Government feels the pains of the people, especially residents of Lagos and Ogun States who are at the receiving end of the inconveniences due to the gridlock and sincerely apologize for the inconveniences caused while at the same time promising to make necessary improvements in the traffic management system on the road in other to alleviate the sufferings of road users.
“To this end, the Federal Ministry of Works has concluded plans with the contractor to suspend the works for today Saturday 27th August 2022 to plan and make provisions for required improvements in traffic management on the road.
“The Government, however, wish to remind the public that the same road that is being reconstructed is also being used to accommodate traffic through dedicated diversions and therefore wish to appeal for the cooperation of all road users with the Contractor and Traffic Management Officers to allow for free-flow of traffic at all times, even while the reconstruction works are ongoing.
“To this end, we appeal to deterrent road users to desist from driving against traffic and obey all dedicated road diversions along the road to prevent unnecessary delays on the road.
“There is also provision for tow trucks along the road in case of any breakdown. Road users should be patient by not driving against traffic and obeying stationed road traffic officers to allow for free flow of traffic.
“In conclusion, it is a known fact, that there is no pain without gain, it is thus our utmost belief that the general public would be the ultimate beneficiaries of the world-class road infrastructure that the Government plans to deliver through the ongoing reconstruction works on the road. We, therefore, appeal for the cooperation of the general public towards this end.”
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