As the FG lifts impediments on Lagos, residents and motorists would feel relief.

Following the dismantling of the highway’s barricades, commuters and drivers on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway yesterday briefly felt some reprieve from the agonizing gridlock they had endured for months.

Since Section One of the highway began to be rebuilt roughly four months ago, the ensuing bottleneck has resisted all efforts by the relevant authorities.

Drivers and inhabitants of border areas between Ogun and Lagos have therefore connected early deaths among them to the stress they experience every day in traffic.

Additionally, many homeowners in areas like Mowe, Pakuro, Aseese, Ibafo, Magboro, and Arepo who could not handle the stress left their houses and rented smaller flats in urban centers.

Aside from the ongoing traffic and accidents, many people have been abducted or had their possessions stolen, and others who took the risk of traveling on the nearby earth road have had painful experiences.

Landlord who went by the name of John told The Guardian that he left his house in Ijere, Pakuro because of the traffic, particularly at the Long Bridge, every day as he had to leave for his workplace on Lagos Island at about 4:00 a.m. He said that his doctor had urged him to move since he often spent four hours a day in traffic.

However, once the barrier was removed three days sooner than expected on December 15, all of these would alter, at least temporarily.

Engineer and South-West Zone Director of Highways for the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing Adedamola Kuti said that the removal of the barriers was a part of the ministry’s end-of-year program. Security and traffic agencies were also involved in the dismantling of the obstacles yesterday.

He stated, “There was a previous announcement that all barriers at construction sites would be removed by December 15 to allow for free movement during the season on the Lagos/Ibadan expressway, but we are doing it now, having already reached a level to which we can allow those barriers to be removed.

Accordingly, we have also finished this project up to a level where we can allow movement rather than waiting until Thursday, December 15, as we did at the other part from the old toll gate up to the Otedola bridge, which we opened for traffic last week.

You’ll also see that the construction work is still ongoing since we choose not to open up additional stretches of the road until they can be finished by Thursday rather than allowing traffic to utilize it so that our staff may travel from now through January. After the holidays, we’ll be back to work.

The Zonal Commanding Officer for FRSC is in command of the zone, and as you can see with me here is Ogun State Commissioner of Police. “So, when we go, we want drivers to still drive according to the regulations, the prescribed maximum speed which is 100km per hour,” the statement said.

Although we don’t anticipate any issues, they are undoubtedly there to make sure that drivers entering and leaving Lagos are safe.