EASING LOCKDOWN: Lagos Commercial Vehicles To Operate 6 am-7 pm, Social Distancing A Must
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LAGOS STATE GOVERNOR, BABAJIDE OLUSOLA SANWO-OLU
As Lagos State Government begins the partial easing of the lockdown on Monday, 4th May 2020, interstate transportation will remain on hold while the intracity commercial operation will be allowed between 6 am to 7 pm and every occupant including the driver must wear nose mask while commercial motorcycle does not in any way encourage physical distancing as recommended by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, hence Okada operations is restricted in all its entirety.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladehinde, made the announcement at a media briefing held at Bagaulda Kalto Press Centre, in the Lagos State Government Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos Nigeria.
He said the state government is combating the dreaded Covid-19 scourge in all fronts with the view to quickly bring life to normalcy and as such, everyone must strictly play his or her role well so that whenever the situation appraisal is done, it will point to the fact that the lockdown could come to a faster progressive and complete end without any iota of threat to life from the Coronavirus in Lagos State.
Dr Oladehinde told his audience which majorly comprised of leadership of the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, Yellow Taxi/Eko cab Association, and the Nigeria Automotive Technician Association, NATA, that henceforth, their Vehicles, Motor parks and Garages shall be completely disinfected/sanitized at scheduled intervals to prevent unwittingly spreading of the death-dealing Covid-19.
He urged the Unions leadership to collaborate with the State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources on the standard of disinfectants approved by the State Government for use.
The commissioner reminded the operators in the transportation sector of the state’s economy to be security conscious and be more discreet by promptly and properly dispose of their abandoned vehicles because of the danger they constitute to the security of the state. Oladehinde warned operators of various mechanic villages in the state to ensure that all abandoned vehicles in their premises are evacuated within one week from now and ensure that their environment is kept clean, failure of which he said, the State Government through its Committee on the abandoned vehicles would visit the premises and tow the vehicles away.
LOAD FACTOR
In consonance to the Covid-19 protocol as stipulated by NCDC for the mitigation of the spread of the deadly coronavirus, Oladehinde warned that all commercial passenger buses and taxes must not load beyond 60% of their capacity at this crucial time, while social distancing rule must be obeyed both at the parks and in the buses. He added that all Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, and Lagos Bus Services Ltd (LBSL), must not carry more than 21 passengers with their air conditioning system switched off and no standing on transit.
Dr Oladeinde added that the yellow buses, popularly known as ‘Danfo’, must not carry more than 8 passengers (2 on a row including the driver and a passenger in the front seat). Tricycles he said, are to carry just 2 passengers at the back, while private car owners must also observe the social distancing.
On effective disposal of medical wastes used at Covid-19 Isolation Centres, the Commissioner stated that it is compulsory for the waste managers to wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) while disposing non–reusable ones and wash reusable ones immediately.
The Commissioner explained that trucks and individuals transporting foods, raw materials and other agricultural products to the state must ensure not more than 7 passengers are in the bus at a time, while the driver and all other occupants must wear their nose masks.
On water transport operations, Oladeinde explained that no water transport operators would be allowed to operate beyond 6 pm during the lockdown easing period, while they must ensure that their passengers wear life jackets in addition to compulsory hand sanitization on every trip
The Commissioner while commending Lagosians for enduring the pains associated with the lockdown, assured that the Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu led administration would not relent in its efforts to eradicate the killer disease completely from the state.
In the same vein, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Toyin Fayinka stated that enforcement of the new transportation guidelines will commence on Monday, 4th of May 2020, as well. He urged motorists to obey the guidelines to avoid an encounter with the Special Task Force comprising; the Police, LASTMA, VIS, Abandon Vehicles and Parks Monitoring Committees.
The State Chairman, Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association, NATA, Asiwaju Jacob Omonide Fayemi, speaking on behalf of the stakeholders, commended the State Government for sensitizing the Unions about the new Transportation guidelines.
He assured Lagos state government that members will adopt the new guidelines and ensure compliance. He also expressed the Unions gratitude to the State Government for the Covid-19 intervention packages extended to their members.
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