The traffic gridlock at the Lagos end of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway has continued to worsen after the former Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, had on the departure of former President Muhammadu Buhari, said that the uncompleted road would be commissioned by President Bola Tinubu at the end of June.
There has been public outcry over the disorganized traffic situation on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway at the construction sites of the road.
The governments of Lagos and Ogun States have been working in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to ensure that the traffic congestion experienced at OPIC-Berger on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in the past few weeks does not reoccur.
The ongoing construction work on the Berger-OPIC axis continued towards the completion of the reconstruction of the Expressway to deliver a world-class road that will make driving a smooth experience, after eight years of the administration of former President Buhari.
National Daily on-the-spot investigation shows that the massive traffic gridlock was majorly caused by the fidgetiness of some drivers who are driving against traffic, at the slightest excuse, to escape long hours spent in the traffic congestion, but turn out to cause hardship for other motorists.
The contractor has been directed to block all illegal road diversions, especially between Magboro and OPIC, to Berger towards the Lagos State Secretariat. This is to prevent the illegal U-turn at OPIC, which also worsen the gridlock within that axis”.
The traffic congestion has worsened to the extent of obstructing vehicular movements from Ojodu Berger, Ogunusi road, unto Ogba. This is in addition to vehicular obstruction into Magodo and the environs.
National Daily Reporter, Abiodun Ifeoluwa, visiting the scene of the gridlock from the Secretariat Bus-stop, observed passengers lining along the road in droves, trekking briskly towards the Berger Bus Stop, even as it was raining.
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Several of the commuters expressed anguish and pains over the hardship they suffer from the long delay in the completion of the expressway.
Speaking to our reporter, a commuter, Mr Olalere, stated that going through the rigour of trekking to the next point was better than waiting in the car, as the traffic did not seem to move and it’s getting late. He noted that many of them live outside Lagos State and are having long distances to cover.
According to him, “I live in Wawa, Ogun State. If I keep waiting, what time will I get home? I have left N400 with the driver; he refused to give me a refund.
“I will trek to Berger and take a motorbike down to my house. It is better for me. I don’t mind the rain.”
Law Enforcement Agencies, including the Police, FRSC and LASTMA, have been deployed to control traffic along the route.
The Lagos State Ministry of Transportation had in a traffic advisory issued by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Abduhafiz Toriola, on Friday, urged motorists to avoid the expressway, urging them to take alternative routes.
“This,” according to Toriola, “was in line with the Federal Government’s announcement of traffic diversion on the expressway, as construction works on the corridor reached the concluding stages.”