Lagos State government, on Monday, announced plans to commence total enforcement of the 2012 State Traffic Law on activities of motorcyclists, popularly called Okada and tricycles, called “Keke Marwa” on restricted routes and bridges, come February 1, 2020.
The State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, said this at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, at a joint press briefing with the Commissioner for Transportation, Frederic Oladeinde and his counterpart in Justice Ministry, Moyosore Onigbanjo.
Omotoso said the enforcement would be carried out in six local government and nine Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) as a pilot scheme before the enforcement would be extended to other council areas in the state.
According to him, restriction and enforcement also affect the newly introduced ‘Opay ride,’ ‘Gokada ride’ and other similar commercial motorcycles.
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However, the commissioner did not specify if the restriction would also affect the private power bike owners.
Omotoso listed the affected local governments and LCDAs to include: Apapa LG and Apapa Iganmu LCDA, Lagos Mainland LG and Yaba LCDA, Surulere LG, Itire-Ikate and Coker-Aguda LCDAs, Ikeja LG, Onigbongbo and Ojodu LCDAs, Eti-Osa LG, Ikoyi-Obalende and Iru/Victoria Island LCDAs, Lagos Island LG and Lagos Island East LCDA.
The commissioner said the measure became necessary following flagrant disregards to the traffic law by the operators and moreso, the need to further ensure the safety of lives and property of residents and members of the public in general.
Omotoso, who decried the rate of accidents arising from the operation of Okada and tricycles in the state, described the figure as scary, disclosing that from 2016 to 2019, there were over 10,000 accidents recorded at the General Hospitals alone.
He said the figure, however, did not include unreported cases and those recorded by other hospitals, pointing out that the total number of deaths from reported cases was over 600 as at date.
“The figures are scary. From 2016 to 2019, there were over 10,000 accidents recorded at the General Hospitals alone. This number excludes unreported cases and those recorded by other hospitals. The total number of deaths from reported cases is over 600 as at date.
Speaking further, Mr Omotoso said: “The rate of crimes aided by motorcycles (Okada) and tricycles (Keke) keeps rising. Motorcycles (Okada) and tricycles (Keke) are also used as getaway means by criminals.
“Therefore, after consultations with stakeholders, the State Security Council, in compliance with the extant Transport Sector Reform Law 2018, has decided to commence enforcement of the law which bans the operation of motorcycles (Okada) and tricycles (Keke) in the following Local Governments (LGs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs): Apapa LG and Apapa Iganmu LCDA, Lagos Mainland LG and Yaba LCDA, Surulere LG, Itire-Ikate and Coker-Aguda LCDAs, Ikeja, LG, Onigbongbo and Ojodu LCDAs, Eti-Osa LG, Ikoyi-Obalende and Iru/Victoria Island LCDAs, Lagos Island LG and Lagos Island East LCDA. The full enforcement begins on February 1, 2020.”
The commissioner said this enforcement was the first stage of the state government’s plan to sanitize roads and protect Lagosians from the negative effects of these illegal modes of transportation.
“The Law is very clear. Motorcycles (Okada) and tricycles (Keke) are banned on all highways, bridges and the listed roads,” he asserted, just as listed the affected 10 major highways to include the following:
“Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Oworonshoki-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos-Ikorodu Expressway, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Eti-Osa/Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Funsho Williams Avenue, Agege Motor Road and Eti-Osa Lekki Coastal Road.”
According to him, the bridges are: Iyana- Ipaja Bridge Agege, Dopemu Bridge Agege, Airport/Ikeja Bridge,
Agege Motor road/oshodi Loop, Oshodi, Mushin/Isolo Link Bridge, Dorman Long Bridge, Ojuelegba Bridge, National Stadium Flyover, Apapa-Iganmu Bridge, Apapa-Ijora Link Bridge, Liverpool Bridge, Apapa, Mile 2 Bridge-Loop, Amuwo-Odofin, Okota (Cele)/Ijesha Link Bridge, Apakun/Apapa-Oshodi Bridge Network and Ikorodu Road/Anthony Cloverleaf Bridge.
Others are: Trade Fair Flyover Bridge, Festac/Amuwo-Odofin Link Bridge, 2 Flyover Bridges along Alhaji Masha Road, Ojota Cloverleaf Bridge, Ogudu Bridge, 3rd Mainland Bridge, Maryland flyover, Ikeja General Hospital Flyover Bridge and Kodesoh Bridge, Oba Akran, Ikeja.
The rest are: Opebi Link Bridge, Sheraton-Opebi Bridge, Jibowu/Yaba flyover Bridge, Carter Bridge, Lagos, Bariga-Ifako Bridge, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway/Alapere Bridge, Bariga/Oworonsoki Bridge, Apapa-Oshodi, Expressway/Gbagada U-Turn, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, 3rd Mainland/Oworonsoki Bridge, Eko Bridge, Apongbon flyover Bridge, Cowry Bridge (Officers Mess), Mcwen Bridge (Bonny Camp), Marina/Ikoyi Bridge and Ikoyi/Obalende Bridge.
The commissioner said that the law enforcement agents had been directed that with effect from February 1, 2020, there would be Zero Tolerance for Okada and Keke on the listed local governments, highways and bridges, urging members of the public to notify the appropriate authority in respect of violators of the law in order to secure arrest and prosecution.
“Law enforcement agents have been directed that with effect from February 1, 2020, there will be Zero Tolerance for Motorcycles (Okada) and Tricycles (Keke) in (on) the listed Local Governments, highways and bridges. Members of the public are hereby notified that all offenders and violators will be dealt with in accordance with the Law,” he said.
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