One of the greatest challenges faced by residence of Lagos is the difficulty of commuting. The state government in appreciation of this fact is expending large sums of money on improving the road infrastructure and the deployment of traffic officers.
While commending these moves, I will like to suggest a few inexpensive measures that can help complement the ongoing effort.
A significant proportion of the traffic congestion on our roads can be traced to the rough patches and potholes on our roads. Several of these start out as little holes/depression on the road, which when unattended to, expand into grapping holes that cause major traffic congestions. Given their large numbers, the bureaucratic way things are handled in government and limited funds at the disposal of government, it could take years to fix some of the these.
To help solve this problem, I will like to suggest that the state government designate a number of approved civil engineering firms, and let it be known that individuals, communities or businesses in the state can as a way of supporting government efforts, approach these to fix potholes/rough patches in their neighbourhood. The selected civil engineering firms would get whatever approvals are required from the relevant local government authority to carry out the necessary repair work.
The above could be expanded to a scheme wherein the state and local government will stand ready to provide matching funds to any neighbourhood that can raise 50 percent of the cost of tarring its local road.
Secondly, the state should launch a “Staff Boat Initiative”, to be personally driven by the governor.
Passenger boats cost about the same amount as a similar capacity passenger bus. These will help reduced travel time and provide better quality of life for staff – it takes approximately 45 minutes from VI to Ikorodu by boat, while it takes about 2 hours to complete the same trip by road. That translates to a daily saving of over 2 hours on travel time; valuable time that can be spent with family, studying, etc.
It will also reduce traffic congestions by diverting traffic to the water ways. The program will also result in more effective use of the various government and private jetties being built across the state. Finally, it could help give a beneficial boost to the Nigerian boat building industry – John Holts, Nigerdock, etc.
Also, the menace of one-way driving is another contributor to the traffic congestion in the city, and notwithstanding the various effort of the government to stop it, the phenomena refuses to go away because there are not enough law enforcement agents to enforce it.
I will like to suggest that the government encourage motorist to use their camera phones to take photographs of such offending motorist and send them in to a designated motor licensing office phone number, where the offenders will be made to pay the appropriate fine whenever they are renewing their license or their cars are impounded for other traffic offences.
More so, the state government should expand the remit of LASTMA to include been the think-tank that comes up with inexpensive solutions to the traffic situation in the state.
This can be accomplished by challenging every LASTMA official to begin to see themselves not only as traffic enforcers, but as solution providers; they should be on a continual lookout for opportunities where inexpensive tinkering with the existing arrangements can help ease up congestion. All officers should also be provided with walkie-talkie to enable them properly coordinate the active of resolving grid-locks.
There are a several spots around the state where minor re-constructions or re-organisations can help reduce the traffic grid lock presently been experienced at those locations. For instance, there is usually a gridlock at the Onikan roundabout, coming down from the 3rd mainland bridge and those from Awolowo Road.
A reduction in the size of the inner radius of the roundabout at Onikan would allow for 2 to 3 vehicles negotiating the roundabout simultaneously. This will go a long way in easing the flow of traffic at that major intersection.
Meanwhile, I will also like to suggest an agency under the governor’s office that will be charged with actively encouraging the population to send in ideas.
No government can claim to have all of the answers to the challenges that face the state. But by tapping into the vast idea bank that exists amongst the populace, the state government will not only be promoting popular participation but will also get workable solutions to the challenges that it is grappling with.
OYEWOLE TOYIN
Oyewole Tosin is an economic development strategist
080 3726 1004
tanimola.oyewole@gmail.com
