By Desire Emmanuel
The Lagos State government on Tuesday, December 23, ordered the removal of unauthorised street gates across the state within seven days, saying many of the gates are impeding traffic flow.
The government also told residents of approved street gates that they should remain open from 5:00 a.m. till 11:00 p.m. especially during the festive period.
There are reports that many street gates in the state are permanently under lock while some are only open for human movement as vehicles are barred from passing through the gates.
This has caused traffic bottlenecks in many instances as the motorists used to seek alternative routes in order to reach their destinations.
However, the state government, through the Ministry of Transportation, disclosed that all the unauthorised street gates should be removed across the state within seven days.
According to the ministry in a statement on Tuesday, the directive is in line with the established state guidelines which prioritises free flow of traffic, safety of lives and properties as well as the enhancement of ease of doing business in the state.
While acknowledging the security benefits of gated streets, the government added that there is the need to maintain unobstructed vehicular movement, particularly on alternative routes currently experiencing increased traffic volumes due to heightened travels, increasing commercial activities, among others, during the festive period..
To this end, the government said “communities that have erected street gates to ensure that they are open daily from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. during the festive period to ease traffic flow across the state.”
