The Lagos State Government has banned inter-state buses from plying Ikorodu Road. Government said the operators have within seven days to relocate their parks to designated inter-state motor parks at Ojodu Berger and Ojota, after which stiff sanction would apply to defaulters. It explained that the decision of the government was in line with the determination of l Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration to free the city of avoidable nuisances and install sanity and civility in the environment. Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, disclosed the ban during a joint inspection tour of ongoing construction of Modern Bus Terminal at Yaba and beautification project at Jibowu.
Ayorinde said the inspection was a follow-up to an earlier visit by the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, adding that all the necessary quit notices have already been served on the affected operators.
He said: “This is a follow-up on the visit by the governor to this axis last night and 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.
“Henceforth, they will have to go to Ojota and Ojodu Berger which are the two designated inter-state motor parks. The ones that we have here in Jibowu will have to move and there is a 7-day ultimatum for everyone of them beginning from the ones in this axis to move,” Ayorinde added.
Speaking on the reason for the ban, the Commissioner 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.
He lamented that the drivers of the buses often violate traffic laws and destroy facilities built with taxpayers money, stressing that the government can no longer allow it.
“We have also see the way vegetable nuisance have taken over everything particularly areas that are being used by the operators of the inter-state buses inspite of the repeated warnings that this is no longer acceptable. Sometimes you come here late in the night and you encounter criminal elements and the government is saying we can no longer take this.
“In the overall interest of the public, what is tidy, what is decent and civilized is to move them where they really belong so that we can free the city and you know what we are doing in terms of the overall plans for the city. There are major bus terminals springing up.
“People have seen what we are doing in Yaba which will be ready by December; they have seen what we have done in TBS and Ikeja, which are all part of the overall plan. And part of what the Governor has said is that every area like that, we will add a beautification plan to it. So, what we have done is in the best interest of Lagosians, taxpayers and the public,” the commissioner said.
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