THE Lagos state government has begun the removal of illegal street gates in the Lekki Phase 1 axis of the state.
This came after days of prolonged traffic logjams in the area.
The state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this on Saturday, December 23, on his official X handle.
He said the affected gates were those permanently locked in the area.
According to the commissioner, the government’s action was due to the inability of the state residents to access connecting roads due to the indiscriminate mounting and multiple gates in many parts of the state.
He added that the gates were defacing the beauty of the environment and causing unnecessary traffic on major roads.
“Lagos state government, through the enforcement team of the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, has commenced the removal of illegal gates that are permanently closed around Lekki 1 axis.
“These gates include Sir Rufus Foluso Giwa Road, Theophilus Oji Road, Osaro Isokpan Road, Abike Sulaiman Road, Ben Okagbue MBA Road, Olubunmi Rotimi Road, Olanrewaju Ninalowo Road, Dele Adedeji road, Abayomi Sonuga road, Siji Soetan and Rasheed Alaba Williams roads.”
The commissioner urged all resident associations across the state with gates under permanent lock and keys to remove them voluntarily or face sanctions.
Meanwhile, some X users have reacted to the government’s action.
A spokesperson to President Bola Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, called for the extension of the action to other areas of the state.
“This exercise must be extended to estates in the Chevron area and others. Gated communities are denying commuters access to possible alternative roads to the Lekki-Ajah expressway,” he posted.
Another X user, @PrinceSomorin, blamed bad governance for people erecting gates on their streets.
“If we had good governance, all the association presidents and anyone at the gates should be arrested and charged,” he said.
In his view, @allibaloo said, “Please extend the operation to Anthony. Anthony is not an estate, but by 8 o’clock, they will start locking the gates, making it difficult for residents to have access.”
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance