Mr Jimi Agbaje, the governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos State, on Wednesday called for urgent national and State interventions in the gridlock crisis currently rocking the state.
Agbaje told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on phone that unless urgent measures were immediately taken, the state may be prone to total traffic collapse.
He said that this would be detrimental to the health and resources of residents and the state.
NAN reports that the severe gridlock in Lagos State has worsened in many parts of the state despite efforts by the state government to control the situation.
Worried by the situation, the police in Lagos had on Friday announced it was putting in place a special operation to restore sanity on the roads.
It said the operation, codenamed ‘Operation Velvet’, would see the deployment of policeman and other traffic management agencies at designated areas in the state.
Traffic, however, remained crippling in parts of the state on Wednesday, leaving commuters and motorists groaning.
Agbaje, who said his office is on the Apapa axis of the state, lamented that it had become almost impossible to access due to the gridlock.
“This issue is not a political matter because everyone is affected including state businesses.
“If nothing is not done to find urgent solution, it may cripple the state in terms of movement and commercial activities.
“The Yuletide is here. There is influx of people in and out of Lagos that has multiplied the traffic flow.
“Very soon, the campaigns will kick off. It will be an understatement to say that once the rallies start, there will complete breakdown in traffic flow,” he said.
Agbaje said that his investigations revealed that contractors handling some of the road rehabilitation and constructions across the State were no longer giving their best, just because they felt the incumbent governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, will not be returning for a second term, which was not a right attitude.
“Governance is a continuum. Road maintainable and contract jobs should not be put on hold because an incumbent will not be returning.
“Apart from the heavy duty vehicles parked randomly and carelessly accross most major roads in the state, potholes and the lack of seriousness by traffic authorities in the state add to the torture on the roads,”he said.
Agbaje therefore advised that the state should as first step enforce its initial directives on the heavy duty vehicles by clearing them from bridges and major roads in the state, which had become a permanent parking lot for them.
“Most of the potholes are created by these vehicles. The federal and state ministries of works should immediately begin a short term patching of the potholes, but at night, so it will not further affect the situation.
“ The state should set up a committee to monitor the activities of traffic officials taking advantage of the situation to enrich themselves rather than control the traffic,” he further advised.
He pointed out that if these measures were not put in place soon, the situation may continue to worsen.
Lagos Reporter
