Esther Salifu
Buyers and sellers of livestock at the Kara Market blocked sections of the road causing a massive traffic jam, as Motorist found themselves stranded on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Wednesday.
While the livestock were being offloaded from the trucks, sellers of the animals around the Kara Market displayed them on the road, blocking the traffic on the expressway.
It was however revealed that the increasing activity of traders along the corridor is not unconnected to the upcoming Eid-el-Kabir festival, an annual Muslim celebration that involves the slaughter of livestock, especially rams and cows.
Stranded motorists, however, criticised the government for permitting the traders to disrupt traffic flow, especially when the expressway is typically congested during festive periods.
The spokesperson for the Ogun Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, Babatunde Akinbiyi, described the activities of the livestock traders as ”greedy and selfish.”
He disclosed that the agency is working with other agencies, including the police to resolve the traffic issues on the corridor.
Akinbiyi said, “Because of the heavy flow of traffic, human and vehicular movement, that’s why you have hitches around those areas. The Otedola Bridge area is also contributing to the gridlock. And you know any time it rains around those areas, it is always waterlogged. This also slows down vehicular movement.
“There are always issues, especially those bringing rams, cows, and goats inward Lagos compared to the outbound. The influx outward from Lagos will be mild as a result of the Kara turning. This festive period is an accumulation of the challenges that we have already had on the road since time immemorial. A synergy is currently being worked on to improve traffic.”
The spokesperson for the Ogun State sector commandant of the FRSC, Florence Okpe, attested that the officials of the corps had been dispatched to control the traffic situation on the expressway.
She said, “This is because of the turning at Kara and those people who are buying rams for the Sallah preparation. We are doing our job at the FRSC. The operational orders for the Sallah preparation are out now, and even my sector commandant will hold a press conference tomorrow (today) or Friday to address the motoring public on Sallah Day.
“We have an outpost at Ibafo. Our men have been deployed already to control the traffic in that area, so I believe they are on the ground.”
