BRIDGES TURNED MOTOR PARKS IN LAGOS

BRIDGES TURNED MOTOR PARKS IN LAGOS

BY FRIDAY EKEOBA LAGOS

Before the inception of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu occupying the Governorship seat at Alausa, way back in 1999, traffic congestion on the Lagos metropolis and it environs was a nightmare every resident in the state prayed fervently they should be delivered from.

This prayer of the Lagos residents appeared to have been answered when sometime in the first quarter of Tinubu’s administration, the Lagos State Transport Monitory Agency [LASTMA] was given birth to; and pronto it went into action ameliorating the sufferings of the people as it relates to traffic holdup.


The activities of LASTMA no doubt brought succor to both resident of the state and other people using the state as a gateway to other state in the country. The loss of man hour usually experienced on a daily basis became a thing of the past.

Howbeit, recent event as regards control of traffic within the state is taking a different dimension, as suffering earlier being experienced by motorist in the state, as well as other road users is gradually finding it way back; this time around not because LASTMA is not functioning, but rather some people who are been termed “Area Father” have decided in their wisdom to make money out of the sufferings of people in Lagos state.

This action of the so called “Area Father” and their cronies ‘Area Boys” have since left in its trail the popular slogan ‘the rich also cry’ this coupled with the people on the other side of the divide who go in commercial vehicle and had since learnt to smile even while suffering in silence.

A visit to Oshodi over head bridge, CMS fly over bridge and Ebute Ero/Idumota fly over bridge , all within the Oshodi/ Local Government, Lagos Island Local Government will show that those bridges had since become motor parks, where commercial Buses; even “Molue” load their passengers.

Besides, the CMS and the Ebute Ero /Idumota fly over bridge being turned to commercial buses motor parks; private vehicles owned by workers on the Island are allowed to park for the whole day on the bridge .

The menace resulting from making the bridge; which hitherto were built from tax payer’s money by the Federal Government becoming motor parks, had since became another major nightmares for those plying the bridges.

The bridges which are not more than 2 kilometers stretch, takes motorist more than 3 hours to ply during closing hours by workers on the Island; while in the early morning rush by workers the time spent on the bridges can only be measured by “the taste of the pudding is in the eating”

Another major frightening experience by motorist is that, armed robbers and their likes now cash on the traffic jam caused by the vehicle parked on the bridge to robe innocent people who are either in commercial vehicle or in their private cars.

Findings by Lagos Life had since revealed that the “Area fathers” curried the assistance of the policemen and LASTMA personal within the vicinity by sharing with them the booty from every day’s activities. The proceed from the “Area fathers” illegal activity on the bridges on a daily basis has been roughly estimated at several thousand of naira.

The Local Government Council whom the bridges fall under their jurisdiction, were also fingered in the sharing of booty from the days collection from vehicle parked on the bridge and more so from commercial vehicles who find pleasure in making the bridge their motor parks.

Speaking on these traffic jam, bridges ugly incidence in the Lagos State metropolis, a uniformed personnel who would not want either is name or service mentioned in print said residents in the state deserved the best from the government but that owing to the impatient in doing things in every residents of the state; they are allowing people to make huge money out of them.

He argued that everybody should be blamed right from the state government, local government council, police, LASTMA and the so called “Area father” who constitute the greater number of the social miss-fit in the society, adding that, personal experience on the traffic holdup on the bridge has shown him that, one should always set aside two hours to ply the bridge and this enjoined one to leave home 2 hours to one’s appointment on the Lagos Island.

The uniformed man said, the only possible solution in sight, is the earlier moves by the state government to relocate most of the business out fit on the
Island, “Except this decision is reinstated again Lagoscian will continue to experience hardship in free flow of traffic on the bridges.

For Mr. Tunde Ayorinde, a banker in one of the new generation banks on Victoria Island said having the thought that I would always go through the CMS fly over bridge traffic is one nightmare I have always prayed to wake up from.

He said, he find it difficult to stomach the irresponsibility of some highly informed people who constitute the greater number of those who make the CMS fly over bridge their parking lot. You need to experience this traffic holdup. I have paid fines in my office due to this traffic jam scenario, and I am always amazed that when I close from work, the same episode will repeat itself. At times, I will leave my office at 4.30 pm to get home at half past 9 p.m.

Chief Esien Ekpan, a Chief Executive resident in the Apapa Local Government Area of the state and owner of a small medium Enterprises on the Island, said I have since jettisoned the ideal of going to my office in my car, I prefer using the ferry to cross from Apapa to CMS, noting that, this cost him only 15 minutes, instead of the about 2 hours he would be spending on the bridge during closing hour by workers.

He reasoned that, allowing motorist to make use of the bridges as motor parks should be discourage, saying that, the number of man hours and money loss due to the traffic jam occasioned by “motor parks on the bridge cannot be quantified.

Meanwhile, an investigation carried out by Lagos Life to the Local Government Council, revealed that not only did they approved of the parking on the bridges, but that substantial money is being made from the proceeds from the “Area father” who took concession of the bridges to make daily living possible for themselves and their siblings.