The Minister of Transport, Rt. Hon. Chibike Rotimi Amaechi has blamed the persistent traffic congestion in Lagos State to lack of adequate road networks.
The minister stated this on Tuesday June 7, 2016 at the LTV Blue Roof compound, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja during the first edition of Lagos Traffic Radio lecture series.
While delivering a paper entitled: “Migrating Workforce: The challenges of Mass Transportation,” he called for the immediate establishment and operation of Inland waterways transportation system as a vital means of decongesting traffic jam on Lagos high ways. He said that migration, which he described as the movement of people and goods from one point the other, involves transportation and should be well-managed.
According to him, due to the status of Lagos State as a commercial hub of the country, people migrate massively into the state on daily basis and this calls for a diversified and good transport system.
He observed that if there were no bridges like carter and third Mainland bridges, the traffic congestion could have been worse. Amechi also noted that the connecting roads in Lagos were not enough to ensure good migration of the state workforce.
He then queried: “How many times do you see traffic congestion in Abuja for those of you who visit Abuja? You can’t see that because once you notice traffic grid-lock on a particular road, you take another road and that will still take you to your destination,” he stated.
After commending the Lagos State government for bearing the burdens of many states in the country due to the larger population of Nigerians beings accommodated in the state, Amechi suggested that more connecting bridges should be built in Victoria Island (V.I) due to its importance.
According to him, since government is a continuum, more connecting bridges such as the cable bridge built by the immediate past administration in the state, which links Lekki with Ikoyi, should be provided for Lagosians to ease their travel times.
The minister, who said that it was not the duty of the federal government to do so, as it was only responsible for the building of interstate roads, said that railways would soon be available in many places in the country.
In his views, “that is why we are going to build Lagos – Ibadan Railway and I promise you that in a minimum of two and a half years, you will have the train taking you from here to Ibadan,” he added.
He said that there would be demolition of houses on right of way of the rail project while those whose houses are not on the right of way but their houses must be demolished to pave way for the project would be negotiated with and duly compensated.
“I was telling the Commissioner for Transportation in Lagos State that nobody is recognizing that all those houses at Ozumba Mbadiwe are in the right of way,” he said speaking further, he said: “I don’t know what the law says but I wish I had come here with the man in charge of inland water-ways.
“I know that two hundred metres (200 metres) from the water belongs to the federal government but Lagos State government has signed the C of O’s and given it out.
“If tomorrow we want to go that side, they will say we are looking for trouble but when they were signing the C of O, they were not looking at the law,” he stated.
Amechi also described power, transportation and security as three basic factors through which the Nigerian economy could be assessed. He, therefore advised the Lagos State government to partner with the Federal Government in order to ensure Inland Water Way transportation in the state.
In his words, “I think Lagos State government needs to have a meeting with us and show us what they have. If not, we will start accepting those who are making proposals for inland water ways transportation, which is very essential in Lagos,” he stressed.
The minister also talked about the National Shipping Line, Lagos-Ibadan and Port-Harcourt -Calabar Railway projects, license for states to establish Airports, establishment of Dry-Port, among others as what the federal government is doing in order to provide a safe, affordable, efficient and Modern transport system for its citizens.
Earlier, Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Ekundayo Mobereola had revealed various transportation plans and reformations carried out by Ambode’s administration for Lagosians in order to ensure good roads and free traffic flow across the state.
Other speakers at the maiden-lecture series included, corps Marshall, Federal Road Safety Corps Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi and former Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Prof. Bamidele Badejo. The General Manager, Lagos Traffic Radio, Mr. Olayinka Adagun gave the vote of thanks, which brought occasion to a memorable close.
Dignitaries at the event included, Lagos State Commissioner for Information, and strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde; permanent secretary, ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr. Folarin Adeyemi and Director of Press and Public Affairs of the Ministry, Mrs. Tobun Oladejo, among others.