The Lagos State House of Assembly has decried the congestion at Sekumade Road in Ikorodu area of Lagos caused by heavy duty trucks.
The House has therefore called on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to call on the Commissioner for Transport, officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), management of Ipakodo Lighter Terminal to put a stop to indiscriminate parking of long vehicles on the road.
The Assembly also called on the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to provide a place where long vehicles would park before they load goods from the terminal.
Speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa (Agege 1) directed the Clerk of the House, Mr. Azeez Sanni to get across to the Governor on the resolution of the House on the matter.
The matter was raised by the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade (Ikorodu 1) under Matter of Urgent Public Importance at plenary on Thursday.
Agunbiade condemned the indiscriminate parking of heavy duty trucks in Sekumade Road, Ikorodu, which he said was one of the two roads that leads to Ikorodu.
“The road is an important access road to Imota, Ijede and others. The roads around the lighter terminal in Ipakodo has become an eyesore.
“The long vehicles always block the road and they would be there for days. They don’t even have security light that would prevent accident. That was how it started in Apapa Area of Lagos before it became an eyesore,” he said.
The Majority Leader stated that it was important that the Commissioner for Transport should review the law on movement of vehicles, while also calling on leaders of LASTMA to rise to the occasion on the matter.
He added that Public Works should be called upon to repair the roads, which he said has been destroyed by the long vehicles.
In his contribution, Hon. Rotimi Olowo (Somolu 1), said that the Ipakodo Sekumade Road is very important, adding that it would not be fair to allow vehicles to block the road.
He stated that companies like Dangote should also be cautioned with the way their vehicles are parked in the area and that the matter should be nipped in the bud now.
Also speaking, Hon. Olusegun Olulade (Epe 11) said that the area is strategic to Epe, saying that other roads are always blocked, and that Sekumade road that cannot contain two vehicles is now totally blocked.
In his view, Hon. Nurudeen Saka Solaja (Ikorodu 11) stated that the road is waterlogged, and that trailers and containers that are parked there are causing a lot of problems for the people.
Hon. Ibrahim Layode (Badagry 1) however stated that the people of the area and the state should not be complaining as they always pray for improvement in commercial activities.
“So we should not be complaining. The problem starts from the government, we wanted light terminals without providing where the trucks would park. We are not doing what would give us money. The law enforcement agencies cannot help matters. The local governments ought to provide parking spaces for the vehicles,” he said.
Hon. Abiodun Tobun (Epe 1), in his contribution, suggested that people should not be allowed to do whatever they like in the state.
“What is happening in Sekunmade is not right. There are traffic control officers in Ikorodu West Local Government that can do the job. We should fine anyone that parks vehicles there indiscriminately. Whoever refuses to do so should have his vehicle impounded,” he said.
