Jare Olukotun
In a renewed effort towards creating awareness on the Lagos State Traffic Laws on restricted areas for the operation of motorcycles popularly called ‘Okada’ and tricycles known as ‘Keke Marwa’, the Lagos State Government has commenced the installation of 2,000 prohibition signs across the metropolis.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde disclosed that a good number of the road signs indicate restricted areas, warning that anyone that violates the law after this effort would be punished in accordance with the law.
Oladeinde explained that the road signs have been mounted on major highways including the Third Mainland Bridge, Agege Motor Road, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos-Badagry Expressway and Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to create awareness on restricted routes for Okadas and Tricycles as prescribed by the State Government.
“We have successfully placed road signs on the Third Mainland Bridge, Agege Motor Road, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and other places to indicate areas that motorcyclists and tricycles are restricted and we urge that they comply for the safety of their lives and members of the public as we will apply the law on any erring Okada rider that violates our law”, the Commissioner warned.
He explained further that motorcycle and tricycle operations remain restricted on highways and bridges in all the Local Government areas including Apapa, Ikeja, Ikoyi, Surulere, Eti-Osa and Lagos Island, adding that same would be done in other areas in order to ensure that road safety culture is engraved in the consciousness of road users across the State.
The Commissioner, however, urged Lagosians to support the State government’s initiatives to tackle traffic gridlock in the metropolis, as it will provide faster results in decongesting the highways of traffic and create seamless movement of goods and services towards improving the local economy.
Many residents called for restriction on the operations of Okada in the state following the pronouncement by the State Government about a week ago that it has not yet decided on what to do with the operations of Okadas and Marwa on the highways.
