perennial traffic gridlock witnessed in almost all parts of the City of Excellence called Lagos, it has been observed that government officials involved in the maintenance of roads constitute the major cause of traffic hold-ups in areas where they operate. 

Investigations carried out by Vanguard Metro showed that these officials always block major parts of the ever-busy roads any time they embark on either re-surfacing of craters on the roads with new asphalts, or filling deep gullies, which litter virtually major parts of roads in Lagos, with concrete.

Noticeably, they carry out their repairs by stationing two or three trucks on a section of the road, after which they block half of the road with either a tractor or any of their vehicles used in pouring mixed cement or concrete on the dilapidated sections of the road. This exercise takes place, normally, during busy hours of the week when vehicles of all makes and Lagosians throng to their respective areas of engagement.

In most cases, the exercise lasts for days and on weekends. They abandon their vehicles stationed on the roads, only to resume the next Monday, which is always a working and very busy day for people. Regrettably, these government workers who are always clad in overall blue uniform with helmet to match rarely create room for easy traffic control. Rather, they ignore the suffering of motorists groaning under the chaos they created. 

Aside from state government workers, many contractors handling major expressways inside the state also constitute nuisance to road users and pedestrians in their mode of operation.  In the past, sign posts were boldly placed in strategic areas of their operation directing motorists on how to maneuver out of the gridlock created but now, they ignore such signs and continue with their work as if the feeling of people does not matter any longer. 

Vanguard Metro witnessed such ugly scene at the ever-busy Allen Avenue-Opebi Road in Ikeja, on Tuesday, when workers of the state government blocked half of the road at Traffic Light bus stop, Opebi to carry out repairs on the bad sections of the road. Time was 9 to 10 am when many motorists and pedestrians were busy going to their respective places of work and engagements.  The workers blocked half of the road with two trucks with the inscription LSPWC, which means Lagos State Public Works Corporation, and were busy repairing the road. This was done in spite of the narrow size of the road and it created a gridlock that spread on both sides of the road. 

The hold- up was such that it spread to Allen junction and other adjoining major roads in Ikeja. This was even when contractors repairing sections of the road that leads from Opebi to Sheraton hotel had diverted all traffic towards Toyin and Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way. 

One of the motorists stuck in the traffic who identified himself as a banker lamented that people are being subjected to such level of suffering and agony in what could have been easily avoided. According to the banker who simply identified himself as Mr. Fred, “we have been in this traffic for over three hours in a bid to go through Allen junction. God knows the hours being wasted and agony of road users whenever they embark on this exercise.” 

An ambulance driver who was stranded in the hold up with his emergency siren blaring stridently told Vanguard Metro that he was rushing a very sick patient to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, and he was on oxygen but it was very difficult to meander out of the traffic even with his siren at its highest decibel. One of the relations of the sick patient inside the ambulance who was seen helplessly beside cars stuck in the heavy gridlock lamented to Vanguard Metro: “are we cursed in this country? If such is happening in Lagos seen as a center of excellence, God knows what other Nigerians are going through in different cities in Nigeria. 

“In other developed and even developing climes, such works are carried out in the wee hours of the night when there are less traffic. Such late hour duties are carried out under the watchful eyes of the police and before day break, they must have accomplished a lot without hindrances to others.  

“Do you know that when I confronted the workers at the site, they nearly tore me apart while I was pleading for chance to be created for me to rush my dying brother to hospital?”

When contacted over the ugly development which seemingly takes place in virtually all parts of the state, the Public Affairs Director of LSPWC, Mr. Samuel Adetutu absolved the agency of any wrong doing, saying rehabilitation exercises are being carried out in consideration with public interest. 

While debunking the allegation that the agency does not carry out rehabilitation at night, Adetutu said, “We have our schedules daily where we churn out areas the agency would be working. 

“We always carry out men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA for effective traffic management and control.   Though, we have our challenges with night operations because of possible attack from hoodlums and armed robbers who oftentimes attack our men on duty.” 

Source: Vanguard