Lagos State government on Wednesday gave a 7-day quit notice to traders along Lagos-Badagry Expressway and Osodi-Abule Egba BRT Corridors to vacate the place from next Tuesday, saying they should relocate from the road and remove the illegal structures erected on same.
The state government equally ordered transport union operators on the affected roads to do same and find alternative operational bases, declaring that the clean-up exercise to be embarked upon by the combined of Ministries of Transportation, Environment, Works and Infrastructure as well as Taskforce on Miscellaneous Offences, LASPARK, LAWMA and LAGESC, and lasting three weeks, was towards the implementation of the Executive Order recently issued by Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Dr Taiwo Olufemi Salaam, said this at a joint press conference he addressed with relevant ministries and agencies, lamenting the poor situation of the two roads which he described as that of total lawlessness through the activities of traders who had converted BRT corridors into trading centres, among others.
According to the permanent secretary, also the illegal activities of oil barons and gangs especially at Eric Moore who are using the corridor as their base, the indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the BRT corridors as well as traffic bottleneck due to activities of some transport unions domiciled on these corridors, leading to total breakdown of the traffic laws of the state.
“Thus, pursuant to the Executive Order, the public is hereby intimated of the plans of the Lagos State government to clean up roads and recover the Rights of Way.
“Of equal importance is the environmental regeneration of the entire stretch of the road which has been taken over by shanties, refuse and vegetal nuisances.
“The clean-up of these corridors nuisances which have combined to the make them eyesores with stench constituting serious health threats to the people is expected to commence next week. Therefore, traders are implored to relocate from the roads and remove the illegal structures erected on same while Transport Union operators are advised to find alternative operational bases,” Dr Salaam said.
The permanent secretary, while noting the significance of the two roads to state and the country, said the plan to open the BRT corridors on the already completed segments of the roads would expectedly improve public transportation on the corridors.
“Aside from this, it is quite certain that the current plan to upgrade the road would provide a boost for trade and commerce, enhance tourism and generate more jobs for the people.
“Also, the social life of the people will improve while traffic-induced crimes will reduce to the barest minimum, if not totally eliminated. Also, stress provoked health challenges will equally scale down while value of properties along the corridor will attract commensurate value,” he said.
He appealed for cooperation of stakeholders with the various MDAs that would work on the roads in the overall interest of all Lagosians nay Nigerians, saying market men and women, members of Road Transport Unions and other road users were enjoined to desist from needless abuse of the road, right of way as well as road set-backs.
This was just as he commended the various military and para-military formations especially, Ojo Military Cantonment, Department of State Security, Naval Officers Wives Association and the Nigeria Police for their cooperation so far, declaring: “Together, we will restore sanity to the road and win back our place in the comity of nations.”
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Task Force said that its operatives on Wednesday served owners of all illegal structures/commercial activities along Badagry Expressway a 7- day ‘Removal Notice.
Chairman of the Agency, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi, made this known in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Mr Taofiq Adebayo.
According to the statement, Egbeyemi had while addressing owners of these illegal structures/traders at different spots warned them to immediately vacate all road setbacks and walkways within the stipulated date given to them by the government.
The Task Force boss ordered that all illegal structures/traders on road setbacks and walk-ways from ‘Eric Moore’ down to ‘Trade Fair’ must remove their illegal structures, shanties, Kiosks and containerised shops on or before Tuesday, 23rd of July, 2019.
He said that the ‘Removal Notice’ became imperative in preparation for the commencement of road works to be embarked upon along that corridor and to dislodged criminal elements who on daily basis engaged in robbing motorists, including innocent members of the public of their valuables.
“It was an eye-sore seeing owners of these illegal structures/traders (Iron benders, fruits/pepper/ram sellers, furniture makers and food vendors) indiscriminately dumping their refuse and used materials on road setbacks, walk-ways and canals thereby causing serious flood to the entire axis whenever it rains”
“Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu newly signed ‘Executive Order’ on traffic and sanitation declared zero tolerance for environmental abuse, illegal and indiscriminate dumping of refuse and defacing the environment,” Egbeyemi said.
Egbeyemi, however, enjoined miscreants and hoodlums who had turned under pedestrian bridges, shanties and abandoned vehicles, including containerised shops as their abode to vacate immediately, saying anyone caught would be seriously dealt with in accordance with the law.
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