Motorists, passengers and road transport union have expressed dissatisfaction over the state of the Lagos-Badagry International Expressway, describing it as a deathtrap.
Mr Oloyede Edun, the Vice-Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), said many lives had been lost to accidents because of the road which had been under construction for about 30 years.
He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Badagry on Tuesday that armed robbers have now taken advantage of the
pothole-ridden road to attack innocent motorists and passengers, dispossessing them of their valuables.
“Some passengers and motorists have lost their lives during robberies; when they slowed down because of the potholes, robbers shoot at the tyre of their cars causing accidents.
“This is an international road and it is sad that a journey of 45 minutes from Lagos to Badagry now lasts four hours.
“The axis from Trade Fair Complex to LASU Gate, Ijanikin and Agbara is so bad to the extent that motorists spend close to about
three hours in the gridlock.
“Passengers and motorists cannot predict when to reach their destinations while plying the road.
“People are being forced to wake up as early as 4.00 am to be on the road in order to get to Badagry and this is too risky,” Edun said>
He added: “We are appealing to the federal government to find a lasting solution to the deplorable state of the road.”
The NURTW vice-chairman called on government to possibly re-award the contract to another construction company.
A motorist, Mrs Josephine Okere, a resident of Okokomaiko, who works in Badagry West Local Government, told NAN that she was forced to relocate to Badagry because of the hardship of plying the road.
“The gridlock on this road is serious and at times, I will not get to my office until 9.00 am and when my boss started complaining about my lateness, I had to relocate.
Another motorist, who simply gave his name as Usman, said: “We are appealing to the government to assist us by fixing the road without delay.
“The untold hardships we face on the road daily are becoming unbearable.”
Also speaking, Mr Muniru Adisa, a commercial driver, also told NAN that the deplorable state of the road had forced many commercial vehicle drivers to reduce their daily shuttle to once a day.
“The road is so bad that we are held up in gridlock for close to three hours limiting the number of shuttle we make daily.
“Also, our vehicles are being damaged as we ply the road. Government should come to our aid by repairing the road,” he said. (NAN)
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