The plan by the Lagos State Government to ban commercial buses, popularly called molue, from plying the Carter Bridge has finally succeeded with a terminus for the buses at Iddo, KEMI OBASOLA reports Though bridges are designed to withstand a certain amount of weight, pressure and traffic jam, turning bridges to parking lots and motor parks where commercial vehicles pick and drop passengers could eventually lead to bridge collapse.


This may be why the Lagos State Government has continued to intensify efforts in the enforcement of weight restriction on bridges in the state.

The efforts of the state government have not been in vain; they have succeeded in ridding the Carter Bridge of commercial vehicles, popularly known as molue and danfo. The plan to rid the bridge of commercial buses which began during the administration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has been made possible by the state Ministry of Transportation.

Our correspondent gathered that the state declared a zero tolerance for molue and danfo on the bridge because of the danger their activities portended.

The state and other stakeholders had raised the alarm that Carter Bridge, which links the Iddo end of the mainland to the Idumota end of the Island, was under threat because it was perpetually under the yoke of molue and traders.

But when our correspondent paid a visit to the bridge on Thursday, it was observed that commercial motorists converged on Iddo to pick and drop passengers.

Unlike in the past when pedestrians found it difficult to walk on the bridge and find their way round, officials of the Lagos State Transportation Authority, are now permanently on the bridge to ensure that motorists and traders do not transact any business on it.

In an interview, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, said, “The state will not tolerate transaction of any business by traders or motorists on Carter Bridge. Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority who do not work hand in hand with the government to ensure that molue and traders do not return to that bridge will be shown the way out.

“This is an exercise that has been on for about a year. There are LASTMA officials on Carter Bridge 24 hours. We put enough men there. Anytime we see that the commercial motorists want to return to the bridge, we impound their vehicles.

“The buses that had been parked on the bridge for so long, we towed to created space. We often engage the commercial motorists in dialogue to make them see the danger inherent in parking on the bridge. The bridge was not designed to serve as a motor park. It was not designed for stationary weight.”

Opeifa said public transportation was a major issue in the state and matters were not being helped by the fact that development tilted to a particular side of the metropolis.

He added, “Most people who live on the mainland have to use the Carter Bridge to get to their offices on the Island. There is mass movement of people and commercial motorists, therefore, felt they could turn every available space to a park. We will continue to ensure that illegal parks disappear, new parks will only emerge in approved places.”

He said the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers had been quite cooperative, adding, “Our men too have been up and doing. The bridge is technically alright, so long as we do not form the habit of leaving stationary load on it.”

A trader at the Iddo Motorpark, Mrs. Muyibat Adeoba, said, “Carter Bridge is a no-go area. As the LASTMA offcials are doing their job, men of the Kick Against Indiscipline are busy patrolling, if they catch you on the bridge, they will seize your goods and may even take you to their office at Alausa.

“How can you even say you want to display your goods there or stop there to pick passengers? The LASTMA car is always there, the officials are empowered to enforce law and order, if you misbehave, you will go to their office to explain.”

By KEMI OBASOLA
Published by punch newspaper: Friday, 3 Apr 2009
http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200904034125242