LASG will continue to subject reckless drivers to the full wrath of the law
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Badly burnt beam- pier- to the Toyota/Mafoluku-Airport road bridge
Lagos State Government has re-assured the good people of the state that sanity will soon be totally restored on the road as the driver of the articulated vehicle whose head got unhooked and impacted on the asphalt, on bright daylight at the Toyota-Oshodi/Mafoluku-Airport road bridge last Thursday, which led to a large flame of fire, will be fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, who was present at the scene of the accident to assess its impact on the road infrastructure and traffic flow, gave the assurance.
Oladeinde, while expressing his displeasure on the aftermath of the reckless act by the driver stated that the recovered Tanker head will provide the lead for tracking the lawful owner of the truck, corporate or individual, and necessary sanctions will be meted out on the offender.
He used the occasion to announce that the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Vehicle Inspection Service, VIS, and other Law Enforcement Agencies such as the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, will work assiduously to rid Lagos roads of un-roadworthy vehicles and drivers who drive while under the influence of various substances.
The Commissioner also said that the affected bridge will remain closed to vehicular movement until an integrity test is conducted to ascertain the level of damage by the inferno to the bridge and other infrastructure along the corridor so as to avoid possible disaster for road users.
Dr Frederic Oladehinde appealed to motorists to drive in accordance with the road safety codes and embrace defensive driving at all times as it holds the prospect of mitigating possible life-threatening outcome from any mishap.
He said that incident was the beginning of the end to reckless behaviour by drivers of articulated vehicles on Lagos state roads as all the machinery of government will be unleashed for surveillance, enforcement/arrest and trial of unruly drivers.
The Transport Commissioner announced that government will without delay formally meet with the leadership of the Tanker drivers’ union to jointly find a lasting solution to the incessant damage to public assets, road infrastructure and the wanton killing of innocent citizens.
Other top government functionaries with the Commissioner at the scene of the crash were, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr Sewedo Oluseyi Whenu, Lagos Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Olusegun Olugbemide, Directors in the Transportation Ministry and other Traffic, Emergency and Safety Officials.
Fed Govt. warned against the use of the burnt Toyota-Mafoluku-Airport Road Bridge
In the same vein, the Federal Government, through the Controller of Works, Federal Ministry of Works, FMW, Lagos State, Engr Olukayode Popoola, had warned motorists and the general public to avoid the Airport Road Flyover dangerously burnt by fire, pending the determination of its structural safety.
Popoola in a chat with NAN said 200 meters of the rigid pavement of the Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonshoki Expressway reconstruction project, being executed by the Dangote Group, had been badly. burnt.
He said the deck of the flyover was heavily burnt and its pier badly damaged which raised the fears of the structural instability of the bridge and the threat to human life should anyone risks using the bridge.
The Controller of Works said that samples of particles from the charred beam –pier of the bridge- had been taken for laboratory analysis to determine its structural stability. He added that the bridge integrity was in no doubt compromised.
He said further that findings from the laboratory tests would determine the next appropriate action on the flyover which was constructed by Julius Berger Plc, as well as the highway under reconstruction by the Dangote Group.
Popoola noted that the bridge was barricaded to prevent access when the inferno was quelled. He, however, added that to his dismay, some unscrupulous elements went and removed the barricade thus putting lives of commuters using the bridge in jeopardy.
He urged law-abiding citizens to adhere strictly to the advice by both the Lagos State and the Federal Governments on the temporary closure of the burnt bridge.
PICTURE: Isaac Jimoh Ayodele
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