Kunle Adelabu & Jare Olukotun
-We are working towards providing one soon – Ikorodu LG Chair
-I cannot gather 46 units of Marwa operators in a garage – Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA Chair
The lack of functional garages in Ikorodu Local Government (LG) and the five Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Ikorodu Division of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, has been a major bane of the perennial traffic and environmental disorderliness in the division.
Not even the directive of the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, which was followed up by the deployment of a special task force operating within and around the Ikorodu garage roundabout/Ayangbure road/Lagos road as part of the resolutions reached at the Ikorodu Town hall meeting on way forward over traffic challenges in lkorodu, could solve the problem as indiscriminate trading activities and parking have since returned to these axis while the taskforce has also vanished.
The implication is that these monster-like traffic challenges have made it impossible for most of the Lagos State Government’s traffic and environmental regulations to achieve the purpose they were created for.
Ikorodu LG, the mother council, has about three garages but is without a central garage. The one at Ota – Ona serves commercial motorists and passengers going to Itamaga, Ijede and Agura/Gberigbe axis and another located within the Sabo market caters for passengers going to Epe, Ijebu – Ode and other places.
This interstate garage at Sabo may, in a few years, vanish as the development of the market by the council now threatens its existence.
The other garage located outside the Sabo gate is another major source of traffic and has no reason being where the local government approved for it due to its closeness to the main road.
It is also worthy to know that the assertion made by the Commissioner of Police at the Town hall meeting in Ikorodu few weeks back that information at his disposal has it that commercial motorists, especially those at the Ikorodu garage, does not pay to the council is far from the truth.
THE IMPACT gathered that Marwa and mini – bus operators pay about N5000 each annually to the council for parking space and N100 daily for tickets.
This was confirmed to our reporter by some of the chieftains of the transport unions who are calling on the council to provide adequate parking space for them since they are generating revenues for the councils.
The traffic situation in Ikorodu has no doubt reached an alarming level and very disheartening too despite that the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederick Oladeinde, and the newly appointed Permanent Secretary for the ministry, Mr Kamal Olowoshage, are both from Ikorodu.
One can only hope that the two transport managers in the State will intervene and come up with an effective formula in ensuring that sanity prevails in Ikorodu regarding traffic management, especially at Agric, Benson, Ikorodu garage, Ayangbure road and Sabo.
Traffic Situations Across Councils ln Ikorodu
Ikorodu LG
After the redevelopment of Ita – Elewa which used to serve as the central garage in Ikorodu LG, motorists were moved to Sabo while some stationed at the Ikorodu roundabout which has now been eventually turned into an illegal garage.
Unfortunately, further redevelopment of Sabo market to accommodate more stalls has forced many commercial bus and cab operators to establish more illegal parks along the road.
From Ikorodu garage to Ojubode, Owolowo, Ayangbure road, Ita – Elewa, Lagos Road, Sabo, Gberigbe to Benson and other parts of the Council, buses, taxis, mini – buses and marwa are always parked on the road or in unapproved space, thereby causing traffic and constituting nuisance to the environment.
In some situations where council approves parks for the commercial transporters, such are sited on setbacks or unapproved space, a situation which has worsen the traffic madness as situations at Ikorodu garage, Ojubode and Sabo market axis depict.
The lack of parks has been greatly accounted for traffic issues within the Ikorodu township, especially at the Ikorodu garage roundabout, Ojubode and Owolowo/Ayangbure axis from where it extends to Ayangbure road, Oriwu road, Owolowo and Ita – Elewa/Ireshe road.
Ikorodu West LCDA
This is a council area that has no garage at all as commercial buses, marwa and taxis park on the road to pick and drop passengers.
The consequent of the lack of a dedicated parks/garages in Ikorodu West LCDA is responsible for the perpetual congestion of the area by mini buses, tricycles, taxis and motorcycles which all occupy the largest part of the road that connects Agric bus stop to Isawo, Owutu and other highly populated areas along the axis.
The situation is also the same at Ogolonto junction, Police Post in Ipakodo, Dangote, Jimbo/T- Junction and Cappa junction where tricycles, mini – buses and taxis also park on the road to pick and drop passengers.
Ikorodu North LCDA
The situation at Ita – Oluwo junction, Odogunyan, LASPOTECH gate, ltamaga and other places in the council has further added to the traffic challenges. In most of these areas, tricycles, mini – buses and taxis make use of the highway setbacks as garages, a situation which has adversely affected free – flow of traffic.
It was gathered that the council is managing the garage by the popular ‘Ilepo Oba’ and directly facing the Sabo market 2nd second which is another cause of traffic in that axis.
The same scenario plays out at Lucky Fibre, Adamo and other bus stops along the Ikorodu – Imota – ltoikin road.
Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA
Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA is another council that cannot boast of any dedicated park or garage 18 years after its creation.
Before now, there used to be a garage along the Obafemi Awolowo Way. The garage, which was just few metres away from the Igbogbo/Bayeku Council Secretariat and which had been serving as the central park/garage for the whole council, stopped operating during the current administration of Builder Sesan Daini.
The council, THE IMPACT gathered, gave the place out to a developer to redevelop it into beautiful stalls and complexes that will create additional source of revenue for the council. And rather than providing an alternative, the council moved the commercial buses and tricycles into a street behind the old garage, a situation that has led to the blocking of the entire market road that links Solawon and Oluwo Amoju.
Consequently, commercial buses have extended the park to Oluwo Amoju and Solawon, thereby making life more unbearable for residents and worsening the ceaseless traffic madness on Awolowo road along the Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA.
Many residents have, however, expressed their displeasure over this development.
Ijede LCDA
Although, residents of Ijede hardly experience traffic madness within the community, the council has, however, also failed to develop any central garage/park in the last 18 years of its existence.
Also, buses and tricycles operating in and out the council park at Egbin junction and Egbin/General Hospital/Market axis to pick and drop passengers.
Imota LCDA
Imota LCDA has functional central garage where vehicles, tricycles and mini – buses are parking and loading passengers at the entry point into the town which is by the expressway.
The garage is fenced and also housed all the transports unions in the council.
The council also has effective control over the garage with strict enforcement on any commercial vehicle that flout the directive that passengers must be picked and dropped inside the garage.
Commercial tricycle operators have, however, tasked the council to develop garages.
Speaking with THE IMPACT, Comrade Samuel Godwin, Chairman of the Tricycle Operators Association, Ikorodu Garage to Igbogbo Park zone, said that they are still operating at the Ikorodu garage despite the warnings by the Lagos Commissioner of Police since the lkorodu LG has not provided the space they need for their garage.
“We are still here because there is no park given to us by the government. We have written several letters that this place (Ikorodu garage) is not conducive for us and that they should try to provide parking space for us but nobody has listened.
“We have been here for more than 14 to 15 years.
He confirmed that they pay annual and daily fees to the council despite not getting any assistance from the government.
He also added that their members, many of whom he said got their tricycles on installment arrangement, are facing difficulties operating because of the presence of the task force.
“Every year, we usually pay for parking and also buy tickets on a daily basis from the council. They also issue same daily tickets to commercial motorbikes and Keke Marwa. We pay N100 every day except on Saturdays and Sundays.
“Many of our members got their Marwa on installment arrangement but it has been very disturbing for them to cope with this arrangement because we can no longer operate freely.
“Our members are frustrated right now. As I am talking to you, we don’t have anywhere to go or any other way of feeding our families except through this business.
“We are pleading with the government to help us in creating a park because there is no parking place in this garage at all. We are ready to operate within the park and anybody that doesn’t move to the park should be made to face the wrath of the law”.
He said that the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) under which the commercial tricycle operators are, is also involved in finding permanent solutions to their plight.
Ajibade Ogunsanwo, one of the leaders of the commercial Marwa operators, said that they felt bad when they were asked to leave the garage roundabout because there was no place for them to go.
“Yes, we heard the news the other day. We felt bad when we heard it, because we know that we are going to be adversely affected.
“Government has failed to provide us with a park. It was Sabo market that used to be the central park in Ikorodu but the local government has developed virtually every aspect of the market into complexes and stalls.
“We are not happy parking on the road but we don’t have any alternative.
“In actual fact, we are not the ones causing problems at the Ikorodu garage but traders that are displaying their wares on the road, if not for them, we would have just maintained a single line of queue on one side of the road”.
Ajibade said that the union on its own has searched and found a space close to a complex where there are fruits sellers and other traders, that can be used as garage at Ojubode/Ladega axis of the Ikorodu garage.
He told THE IMPACT that they have come up with a plan on how to redevelop the place but that they needed the council assistance in moving the traders that are presently occupying the space to Sabo.
He also disputed the Police Commissioner’s statement that lkorodu LG is not issuing tickets to the commercial Marwa operators and Okada riders operating at the Ikorodu garage roundabout.
“I was so surprised when I heard it because we always pay for tickets and stands at the park.
“We pay for parking annually and also pay N100 daily for tickets being issued by the councils.
He said that their members are usually issued the tickets at the Ikorodu garage and also issued another when they move passengers to Igbogbo or Ipakodo to drop or pick passengers.
Ajibade also stated that most of their members do not have another means of livelihood and do not want to join the bad gangs, hence the reason they are engaging in Marwa business which is legitimate.
He pleaded that the government should provide them with space to operate.
The Marwa association chieftain also disclosed that the State Chairman of the NURTW, MC Oluomo, has discussed their plight with Hon. Wasiu Adeshina, Chairman, Ikorodu Local Government, when he visited Ikorodu recently.
Many of the Marwa and mini buses drivers in Ikorodu and Igbogbo that spoke with our reporters said that they will be willing to operate inside a garage if made available to them by the government
Council Chairmen’s Responses
The Ikorodu LG Chairman, Hon. Wasiu Adeshina, speaking with THE IMPACT in his office recently, said that Marwa, mini – buses and okada drivers must vacate the Ikorodu garage roundabout as directed because they are constituting nuisance.
He also added that the council is already making efforts to provide a space to be used as a garage where commercial drivers as well as tricycle operators would be allowed to park, pick and drop passengers.
“It is no longer advisable for the commercial drivers ( maruwa, okada and mini-buses) to stay in and around Ikorodu garage roundabout for”, he warned.
“The way they park at the place is causing serious concern because they usually cause both vehicular and human traffic jam by double parking on both sides of the road.
“The CP has been given the directive to chase them away from the place and they must comply.
As a way out of the traffic bottlenecks at garage, Hon. Adeshina said that the council is looking at the possibility of acquiring the open land behind the Sagamu Police Division to serve as a motor Park/garage.
“We are already looking at the land behind the Sagamu Police Division to be used as a garage. We are still discussing it and as soon as that is concluded, we shall develop it for the purpose.
The Council Chairman also hinted that once the proposed Joint Task Force on the management of the traffic challenges at the Ikorodu garage roundabout is set up, it will also be saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that other areas around the axis are also cleared of illegal parking and trading activities.
“By the time we inaugurate our own Joint Task Force, part of their assignment will be to ensure that the Ikorodu garage is free from illegal parking and trading activities”, he said.
In a telephone conversation with Builder Sesan Daini, he said that it will be impossible to put 46 units of the Marwa operators in the council at a single location, while also saying that they cannot be allowed to park on the road and cause traffic.
“They cannot be gathered in a single garage considering their number because we have 46 units in Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA.
“They should stay and maintain the place that has been allocated to them and should be aware that the main road cannot be their park. Allowing them to park on the road will cause traffic”
Public Responses
The Vice Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos East, Asipa Kaoli Olusanya, in an interview on the issue, deplored the lack of motor parks across the division.
He said that it is the responsibility of the local councils to provide motor parks among other services for residents.
“Any responsible and proactive government is expected to always look far ahead and meet the population projection for development of infrastructures to meet up with future expansions. Unfortunately, that has not happened.
“That Ikorodu garage has remained the same since the time when we were small, apart from the expansion of the road. I expect somebody to have imagined expansions that will be needed in 10 years, including rail line and others provisions.
“In the absence of that, you are asking them (commercial motorcyclists and tricyclists) to leave while people are demanding for their service. Where then do you want them to go?
He warned against the use of force in dislodging commercial transport operators when no alternative has been provided for them.
“Applying force all the time will not resolve issues except to provide alternatives. Give them a park or space. It is only when you provide them with that and they refuse to go that you can then force them to leave.
“In cases where no park or space has been provided and the people that the government is serving are desirous of these services because that is what put food on their tables and give them their daily bread, what then is the solution?
“The police cannot be a permanent solution because they will not be there 24 hours every day, four weeks of the month and 365 days of the year to keep the traffic free-flowing
“The solution is to provide infrastructure by acquiring land which belongs to the government. Land can be acquired for public interests and be used to provide parks for them if Marwa and Okada are still what we are living with now”, Asipa Kaoli said.
Oke Godwin Olaoluwa, a public commentator, also speaking on the matter, placed the blame squarely on the lack of will on the part of the government to enforce its traffic laws and directives.
“This is a sad development. When government or law enforcement agencies give an order without sustainable implementation, it shows weakness on the side of the leadership.
“More than 50,000 people ply lkorodu garage to their various abode daily and illegal activities of less than 500 people are costing them extra travel time and sometimes, dispossession of their properties by hoodlums. The government needs to live up to the people’s expectations with proper enforcement to show that they are up to the task. It is very important”, he said.
According to him, commercial transporters should be able to secure spaces for parks since they are making returns on the business which is a private venture.
Mr Ahmed Aroyewun, the Deputy President & Director of Programmes, De – Vanguard, said that the lack of garage across councils in the division is causing traffic which the motorists are taking advantage of to inflict more hardship on the people.
“It’s a pathetic situation that we have in Ikorodu. The traffic that the transporters are causing is unbearable and once there is traffic, they increase the fare by 100%, a situation that always creates hardship to the common man on the road.
“Transport business is a private business with a reasonable level of returns on investment. Onus place it on them (the commercial transporters) to look for a befitting space to be used as a garage for their businesses.
He called on the government at the state and local levels to enforce traffic rules to check the excesses of the motorists.
“We have seen other places where transporters buy or rent land for the purpose of their business. We must restore sanity to our roads. The conduct of the transporters must be checked by the appropriate authorities”, Aroyewun said.
President of the I-Heroes (Ikorodu Heroes) and a youth leader in the division, Mr Seun Elesho, while stating that lack of designated parks is contributing to the perennial traffic within the Ikorodu metropolis, charged government to ensure that spaces are created for garages for commercial transporters to have sanity on the road.
“Looking very well, we all complain that the danfo, taxis, okada and Marwa oprerators are the ones causing traffic on our roads in Ikorodu, especially from Ojubode down to Sabo roundabout and from Garage roundabout to Agric bus stop. I challenge anybody to tell me the space we have created for these people to do their business like we did for BRT buses.
“Where are the parks for these people? We are not planning for the development we all pray for.
“All our efforts will amount to nothing unless we create parks for them. We must be audacious in our plans. People will ask that where are we going to put the parks? And my answer is, how did we create the BRT parks? Let seat down and think.
“We have accepted our problems when l saw that the local government created a lane for Maruwa with ropes (along the road at the Ikorodu garage). If you understand what I mean. These people (Maruwa operators) all pay to local governments or her agent…”, Seun said.
