The Federal Government on Thursday issued a two-week ultimatum to artisans plying their trade along the burnt section of the Lagos airport road flyover to vacate the area.
Recall that flyover which spans the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and linking the Lagos airport road, was engulfed by fire when a petrol tanker burst into flames on January 7. No live was, however, lost in the incident.
Following the incident the Federal Government immediately shut the bridge and on January 8 and warned the motoring public to avoid the flyover pending the determination of its structural integrity.
Speaking during a visit to the bridge yesterday, Babatunde Fashola, minister of works and housing, said berated the artisans and traders for carrying out commercial activities in the vicinity thereby, damaging road infrastructure. He observed that street trading jeopardised both their safety and that of the road, giving two weeks to vacate the area.
Fashola advised the artisans to relocate to the Matori Industrial Estate in Ladipo purposely built by the Lagos State government for commercial activities.
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“This is not a market, you don’t do business on the road, I am giving you two weeks to vacate this place,” he said.
He added that work would soon commence on the service lanes of the Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonshoki rehabilitation/reconstruction project where 20 kilometres of work had been completed.
Speaking on the fire that engulfed the bridge, the minister said integrity test carried out on the bridge showed extensive damage to both the bridge deck and its pier. He explained that efforts were in place to repair the bridge to make it safe again for use.
“The airport road flyover will not be available for some time,” Fashola added.
He said he has directed the Federal Road Safety Corps to carry out investigation and provide information on the cause of the accident and owner of the vehicle, adding that, they will face sanctions if found guilty.
He added that measures were in place to work with the office of the attorney-general of the federation on prosecution of reckless articulated vehicle drivers causing avoidable accidents and fires destroying roads and bridges in Lagos State.
Fashola also said that the Federal Government would liaise with the Lagos State Government on training and retraining of drivers towards attitudinal change.
He listed bridges recently destroyed by fire in Lagos to include the Kara, Otedola and Obalende bridges.
Earlier, Okukayode Popoola, the federal controller of works in Lagos, explained traffic diversion arrangements on ground through Oshodi for those hurrying to catch flights at the airport.
