Lagos declares Thursday, March 29 work free day for Buhari’s visit

Lagos State government on Tuesday declared Thursday, March 29 as work-free day to enable Lagosians to come out en masse to welcome President Muhammadu Buhari who is on a historic two-day visit to Lagos State.
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Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, disclosed this in a statement, urging residents to adhere to the security guidance earlier announced to make the visit as peaceful and orderly.

Announcing traffic diversions and alternative routes ahead of a two-day visit by President Buhari to the state between March 29 and 30, the State’s Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Imohimi Edgal, at a press briefing held at Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja, said adequate preparations had been made to mitigate the impact of the road diversions on residents, while access would be given to an emergency situation.

Edgal, who addressed the briefing alongside heads of security and emergency agencies in the state, said while in Lagos, President Buhari would commission the new Ikeja Bus Terminal, attend a colloquium in honour of National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as well as embark on tour of the Eko Atlantic City, among others.

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“To ensure smooth, security-free visit of the president, we would need to do some diversions. Some certain roads will be closed at certain times; some diversions will be made but I want to use this opportunity to appeal for the support and understanding of Lagosians that this temporary road closures and diversions might cause a little inconvenience.

“We want the people to bear with us to ensure that we all join hands together to make the visit of Mr. President not only hitch-free but also very memorable. The road closures and diversions will be very temporary and immediately the president leaves a certain location, that area will be opened very quickly for the general public. We have also made adequate arrangements to mitigate the impact of the closures on residents,” he said.

He listed the areas to be affected to include Bank Anthony Way in Ikeja, Agege Motor Road, a section of Eko Hotel Road in Victoria Island and Old Marina in Ikoyi axis.

Besides, Edgal said security arrangement was already in top gear and that people would see a lot of deployment of personnel of both military and civil logistics, assuring residents that there was nothing to worry about.

“We have done the necessary threat assessments; we have reached out to all stakeholders in areas that we believe we should reach out to, to ensure their full cooperation. We are using this opportunity to call again on the Okada Unions and the National Union of Road Transport Workers that they must abide by the terms of the agreement we reached during meetings with them regarding the visit.

“We will not want to see commercial motorcycles plying the prohibited routes of Agege Motor Road, Bank Anthony Way and anywhere on the Island. Should that order be disobeyed, we would be constrained to ensure that you are arrested with your motorcycles impounded. Whoever is also found as a passenger will also be arrested and prosecuted, so do not patronize these Okadas on these prohibited routes not only for the purpose of the visit but also to ensure that Lagos State Laws on the regulation of commercial motorbikes are obeyed at all times,” Edgal said.

Edgal added that three locations had been designated for all first emergency responders to station their equipment and officials including the police, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), LASAMBUS, Civil Defence, Fire Brigade, among others at Ikeja, Victoria Island and Free Trade Zone at Lekki-Akodo axis.

On the Apapa gridlock which has spilled over to other parts of the state, Edgal said, while the Joint Task Force set up by the state government was already working to ensure free-flow of traffic, the government nonetheless had commenced the construction of a new Trailer Park in Ijora axis that can conveniently accommodate 2,800 trucks and tanker at a time.

“The governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, in collaboration with stakeholders, has identified a location known as the White Sand in Ijora axis and we have done an assessment of the place with my colleagues in other agencies and all shanties there have been destroyed.

“Now, the state government has given out the contract to a firm and they are now smoothening up the place. It has the capacity to take well over 2,800 trucks and tankers at the same time. Work is ongoing there at a very fast pace and I can assure Lagosians that very soon, the place will be completed and we intend to move all trucks, tankers to that location and as soon as that is done, we would have permanently taken care of this trucks and tankers,” the police boss said.