The Lagos State Government on Wednesday announced the restriction of the operation of inter-state buses and vehicles operating along Ikorodu Road from going beyond Ojodu Berger and Ojota Motor Parks.
It also issued a seven-day ultimatum to the operators to relocate to the designated inter-state motor parks at Ojodu Berger and Ojota, after which stiff sanction would apply to defaulters.
Speaking after embarking on a joint inspection tour of ongoing construction of modern bus terminal in Yaba and the beautification project at Jibowu, Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, said the decision was in line with the determination of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration to free the city of avoidable nuisances and install sanity and civility in the environment.
He said the inspection was a follow-up to an earlier visit by the governor to the area, adding that all the necessary quit notices have been served on the affected operators.
He said the governor “was very displeased with what he saw particularly in the manner with which long buses, inter-state buses are using the main town and what we have done so far is the initial announcement to say that henceforth, we will no longer allow inter-state buses to be along Ikorodu Road.”
Speaking on the reason for the ban, Mr Ayorinde said activities of the operators had not been tidy and decent despite repeated warnings, and that government could no longer sit and watch such to continue in the overall interest of the people.
Also speaking, Acting Commissioner for Transportation, Anofiu Elegushi, said the ban was part of the plan of the government to properly utilise spaces under flyovers and bridges.
He assured that government had already provided more than enough spaces for the affected operators at Ojodu Berger and Ojota, saying that a stakeholders’ meeting would also be held on this week to discuss and allocate spaces for operators at the said parks.
