Fears as Lagos sets to adopt new policy banning transporters from major highway

There are fears among interstate transport companies operating along Ikorodu road of Lagos State and passengers over possible disruption to business and mobility convenience following the disclosure by the Lagos State Government Wednesday that interstate vehicles will be prevented from going beyond the Ojodu Berger and Ojota parks.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, made this known after an inspection tour of the ongoing construction of the bus terminal at Yaba and the beautification project at Jibowu.

Ayorinde stated that a seven-day ultimatum had been issued to the operators to relocate from Ikorodu road to the designated parks.

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He said, “This is a follow-up on the visit of Governor Ambode 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 every one of them beginning from the ones in this axis to move”.

Ayorinde defended the ban, saying that, “Take for instance, the New Jersey Barricades here are being destroyed and they are built with taxpayers money. We have also seen the way vegetal nuisance have taken over everything particularly areas that are being used by the operators of the interstate buses in spite of the repeated warnings that this is no longer acceptable”.

Also, the Lagos State acting Commissioner for Transportation, Prince Anofiu Elegushi ,said the ban was part of the plan of the government to properly utilize spaces under flyovers and bridges, adding that there were enough spaces for the affected operators at designated parks.

He added that a stakeholders’ meeting would be held this week to discuss the issue as well as allocate spaces for operators at the parks.

Many observers will wonder whether the Lagos State Government had conducted a thorough business impact assessment before rolling out such a ban, considering how essential interstate road transport is to the commercial city, its revenue base, and many residents.

On account of the fact that only a seven-day period was given for the execution of such a major policy with far-reaching implications, and a stakeholders’ meeting announced only after the ban was made public, calls to question the readiness of the state government to implement a hitch-free transition to the planned new system.

Many will argue that a comprehensive plan developed in concert with the stakeholders where allocation of spaces and other important issues are clearly defined should have been among the very steps.

Others will question the rationale behind such a policy, observing that it did not take the welfare of the passengers into consideration, as many of them reside across the far-flung areas of the state close to different parks, thereby requiring drop-offs at nearest locations especially for passengers with many belongings.