The Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has made permanent the banning of the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) from Lagos roads.
Ambode, who restated his decision yesterday at the commissioning of the multiple lay-bys at Ojodu-Berger, said that VIOs would be permanently off the roads.
He said: “Let me use this opportunity to reiterate that Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) have been asked to stay off our roads permanently. We also advise the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to stay on the fringes and highways and not on the main streets of Lagos. It has become evident that these agencies contribute to the traffic challenges on our roads. We will employ technology to track and monitor vehicle registration and MOT certifications.”
Ambode said that his administration would always ensure that promises made are promises kept, saying he and his team would continue to rely on the support of all segments of the population for regular tax payment, obeying the rule of law and protection of public infrastructure.
According to the governor, the traffic situation at the Ojodu-Berger axis was one of the challenges identified as requiring urgent attention, saying: “This decision was informed by the strategic importance of this axis being a major gateway into our state. What we set out to achieve with this project was to ensure smooth flow of traffic along the express, safeguard the lives of our people who had to run across the express and project the image of a truly global city to our visitors.
“Today, we are delighted that we have not only succeeded in transforming the landscape of this axis but with the slip road, lay-bys and pedestrian bridge, we have given a new and pleasant experience to all entering and exiting our state.
“This project is the product of our innovative team of engineers, architects and town planners who have worked hard to create an innovative solution to tackle the challenges of this axis.”
He, therefore, promised that ridding Lagos of points of gridlock would not stop with the Ojodu-Berger axis, as it is an ongoing process.
“We are working to create solutions to traffic congestion in every part of the state. If your neighbourhood or community is experiencing traffic challenges, be rest assured that we will soon be there,” he stressed.
