Forty illegally parked trucks, tankers, and trailers under flyovers in the Costain/Iganmu axis have on Monday been impounded by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).
This is coming after the seven days of grace notice which was previously served to the owners of such illegally parked and abandoned vehicles.
Mr. Bolaji Oreagba, the General Manager of LASTMA divulged these in a statement through the Director, Public Affairs Unit, Mr. Adebayo Taofiq, in Lagos on Monday.
Oreagba said that the execution of the operation was led by Mr. Peter Gbedemeje, the Director of Operations (Headquarters), stating also that owners and drivers of the impounded vehicles would be charged to court accordingly.
The LASTMA boss said that the level of deliberate compliance before the enforcement was encouraging, adding that the majority had removed their heavy-duty vehicles before the commencement of the exercise.
“We are very happy with the level of voluntary compliance by owner/drivers of these illegally parked trucks including other illegal workshops such as Iron benders, mechanics, and food/fruits vendors.
“These 40 impounded trailers were contravened around Ijora, Costain, Breweries, and Ajegunle Park by Ijora Mobil Road area of Iganmu, Lagos,” Oreagba said.
Gbedemeje, the Head of Operations, mentioned that the authorities would continue with the cleanup exercise and that the exercise would be extended to other parts of the state in order to defeat criminal activities.
Recall that on Sept. 12, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu ordered the removal of all abandoned vehicles parked haphazardly under bridges across the state.
Mr. Sola Giwa, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, stated this during an emergency meeting with stakeholders, held at Ikeja.
Giwa said that Gov. Sanwo-Olu had declared zero tolerance for environmental abuse, illegal and indiscriminate dumping of refuse, and defacing of the environment when he signed the ‘Executive Order’ on traffic and sanitation.
”I can assure you that government will enforce this notice after the expiration of the seven days ultimatum beginning from today (Monday),” he had said.
Giwa appealed to owners of abandoned vehicles to comply, as the ‘Removal Notice’ became necessary due to security issues and related gridlock in some identified areas, namely: Costain, Apapa, Ajah, and Lekki, were listed among such areas.
Oreagba, General Manager, LASTMA, in his address, had served a seven-day removal and compliance notice to owners of trucks and other vehicles parked under the Costain Bridge area, urging them to comply or risk having their vehicles impounded; and face prosecution.
Oreagba said that the state government was committed to reducing the traffic problems around the axis, hence, it had become imperative to remove blockages to achieve that.
