|
Lagos roads: Battle for supremacy
Dotun Oladipo
The Federal Government on Monday fulfilled its promise to take over the control of federal roads within Lagos State. This was done with the provision of equipment worth about N100 million to the Federal Road Safety Commission and the training of about 500 staff of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, an agency under the Federal Ministry of Works, to assist the regular marshals in the control of traffic within the Lagos metropolis. The equipment, including four hilux jeeps, two ambulances, two motorbikes and communication equipment were handed over to the FRSC�s Zonal Commanding Officer, RS2, Lagos, Mr. Paul Onche, by the Federal Controller of Works, Mr. Ade Adeniji, on Monday morning.
Adeniji said at the ceremony held at the FRSC�s RS 2 Headquarters, Ojodu, Lagos, that the donation of the equipment was in fulfillment of the promise by the Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, that the Federal Government was going to take over the control of traffic on federal roads from the Lagos State Government and its traffic control agency, the Lagos Traffic Management Authority. Said Adeniji, �The Honourable Minister gave the directive based on the relevant provisions of the Federal Highway Act, Cap 135 of the laws of the Federation of Nigeria. The Act recognises the relevant agencies authorised to enforce traffic laws on Nigerian roads.� Adeniji said that it was to block the vacuum that could be created by the directive to withdraw officials of LASTMA and Kick Against Indiscipline from the federal roads that led to the training of over 500 officials of FERMA to assist the FRSC in easing traffic on federal roads in the state.
The FRSC went a step further by commencing the implementation of its new structure in Lagos, which split the corps into 11 commands in the state. Before now, the commission had only five commands. The additional six, according to Onche, were created to help in easing traffic at identified choke-up points, especially in the morning and evening. According to Onche, the new units created to check the choke-up points are Lagos Mainland, Oshodi, Ojota, Apapa, Lagos Island, Surulere and Iyana Ipaja. An outpost is located at Mazamaza.
Onche said the decision of the commission to spread its operations all over Lagos stems from the fact that it was empowered to control traffic on all roads, whether federal or state, and that the commission was prepared to take up the responsibility with the provision of additional facilities and the deployment of officers and men from other commands all over the country. He said that it was in a bid to ensure a better management of the traffic situation on Lagos roads that the Corps Marshal, Major General Haladu Hananiya (rtd), approved the establishment of additional six units and an outpost for the commission in the state.
Onche commended the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Works in easing the traffic situation in the state. He said, �This is a real good gesture by the ministry and the minister. Most of the dangerous roads have been taken care of. We appreciate the cooperation of the minister and the decision to involve us in the activities of FERMA committees all over the country.�
But if anyone thought that owing to the face-off between Ogunlewe and the Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, over who should control traffic on Lagos roads that there was going to be an outbreak of violence with the inauguration of the vehicles and men for the job by the federal agency, then that person may have to wait a little longer. Since the inauguration on Monday until Thursday evening, there was no single report of violence or clash between the state and federal agencies. Rather, Lagosians, as those resident in Lagos are popularly referred to, have become the better for it. In most parts of the city, there have been reports of a great improvement in the flow of traffic save for a few instances that were swiftly sorted out.
For instance, an evening journey between Ikeja and the Sango, Ogun State, which normally takes between an hour and two hours, depending on the route, now takes less than 30 minutes even on the route where two hours was spent in the past. In the morning, the choke-up point at Cement Bus Stop on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway has witnessed a lot of improvement. Other choke-up points in the morning and evening, including the notorious Mile 12 Market, Mile 2, Ikorodu Road and Apapa have also felt the impact of the work of the officers and men of the FRSC.
Lagosians, who spoke with our correspondent, are happy about this development. For Lagosians, the most important issue is the efficient control of the Lagos traffic that makes a lot of people dread the city. For them, any agency that could achieve that would be their hero.
The PUNCH, Friday, July 2, 2004
|
|
| |
Copyright 2003 - 2004
Punch (Nigeria) Limited. All Rights Reserved
Powered by dnetsystems.net
dnet�
|
|
|
|
|
The President-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
|
| | |
|
|
|
STOCK MARKET
|
|
As at Thursday, July 1, 2004
|
|
8,265
8,250
8,235
|
| Nestle |
|
N170.00 |
+150k |
|
| Flour Mills |
|
N22.20 |
+85k |
|
| UBA |
|
N11.60 |
+55k |
|
| Conoil |
 |
N179.01 |
-894k |
|
| Texaco |
|
N183.00 |
-594k |
|
| NB |
|
N63.46 |
-334k |
|
Volume: 45.3 million
Value: N928.6 million
Deals: 3,648
Index: 28,414.83
Mkt Cap: N2.032 trillion |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
