By Scroll Reporter Lagos Nigeria
The Chairman of the
Special Committee of Lagos State Government on the Clean-Up of Ikoyi, Lekki and
Victoria Island, has read the riot act to all stall owners of
the Giwa Barracks, DHQ Mammy Market overlooking Kingsway Road in Ikoyi whose
customers block the road with their vehicles to relocate the parking lot to
inside the barracks or risk their vehicles being impounded.
The Chairman, who is also the
Secretary to the State Government (SSG), spoke with newsmen on Sunday after an
unscheduled inspection visit to the area as part of preparations for the
commencement of the Clean -Up of the inner streets.
He said the activities
of the motorists who patronize the market, park their vehicles indiscriminately
across the road and the setback was causing a hindrance to free flow of traffic
in the area.
According to him, severally
and at peak hours, the lanes for traffic on Kingsway Road which is a very vital
link road has been reduced to single lane due to indiscriminate disregard for
traffic rules by the motorists.
He said part of the
options open to the State Government includes walling off the whole stretch of
the setback and drainage alignment which has been converted to parking lots
despite repeated warnings.
He explained that the
government is also in consultation with the Military authorities on how the
process of convincing the stall owners to relocate the outlets of the markets
from the roads could be sped up and would not continue to tolerate distortions
to its city master plan.
He reiterated the
preparedness of the Committee to implement the directive of Governor Akinwunmi
Ambode on the commencement of the Clean-Up of the inner streets from next weekend.
The Chairman listed some of
the streets that would be touched by the total Clean-Up in inner Ikoyi to
include Cooper Road, Cameron Road, Ademola Street and Akanbi Danmole Street,
among others. Inner streets to be
affected in Victoria Island, according to Bello, are Tiamiyu Savage Street,
Akanbi Kenku Street, Kofo Abayomi Street, Oko Awo Street, Olosa Street, Akinbo
Savage Street and Ologun Agbaje Street, and several others.
The SSG also said the
additional mop up of already cleaned areas directed by the Governor was already
in progress, reiterating the need for all residents to assist in sustaining the
gains of the exercise while the government continues with its advocacy
programmes.
The Committee also
informed that in order to make the second stage of the Clean-Up exercise a
hitch free one, Mobile Courts would also be sitting to try all offenders on all
days of the exercise. “We will bring the
full effect of the law to bear on whoever contravenes the provisions of the State
Environmental Sanitation laws.
“For all the
mechanics and roadside automobile engineers who have been dislodged from the
major streets but have relocated to the inner streets and have converted all
the walkways, playgrounds, you have still not reached your operating
destination. The Special Committee will come after you when the second phase
commences. The earlier you realize that there is no place for roadside
mechanics, street traders, illegal shanties or abandoned properties in those
areas, the better for you,” he warned.
He also reiterated the
determination of the Ambode administration to restore the original master plan
of Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki by checking the activities of street
traders, owners of shanties and roadside automobile repairers who have
converted many dual carriage lanes to single lanes and walkways with indiscriminate
parking and other forms of illegalities in the areas.
