Govt bans ‘molue’ on Lagos Island

Lagos State Government has banned the operations of 911 buses popularly known as Molue on the Lagos Island.

The government said it had ordered law enforcement agents to enforce the directive. With the directive, it is now illegal for the operator to drive on the bridges linking Lagos Mainland to Island, while operation of the Molue buses in places like Ebute-Ero, Iddo, Ebute Ero, Apongbon, Obalende, Idumota, CMS, Obalende and other places on Island has been outlawed.

The General Manager, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Mr. Babatunde Edu, made the disclosure yesterday at a stakeholders’ meeting with the branch chairmen of the Lagos Urban Bus Owners Association of Nigeria, LUBON, operators of Molue buses.

Edu said the move was to ensure adequate monitoring of the operations of commercial vehicles and compliance with traffic rules and regulations.

The LASTMA GM said the new directive had become effective since August 19, adding that the buses could no longer operate in the Central Business District, CBD.

He said: “Though the Lagos State Government was supposed to have commenced enforcement last month, being a responsive and responsible government which believes in enlightenment before enforcement, we therefore, decided to shift the enforcement to fourth of this month.”

The GM, however, said Molue buses could still operate in areas like Orile, Iyana Ipaja, Mile 2, and Mile 12, among others.

Meanwhile, Governor Babatunde Fashola has urged commercial bus drivers to desist from taking alcohol, drugs or other related substance before going behind the wheel.

The call, he said, became necessary because, according to him, evidence shows that road traffic accidents are influenced and precipitated by substance abuse which impairs driver’s ability to manage and manipulate a vehicle well.

Fashola said this yesterday at the New Garage Motor Park, Bariga, during a Motor Park Health and Safety awareness campaign organised by the ministries of Health and Transportation in partnership with Guinness Nigeria Plc.

The governor noted that the Motor Park Health and Safety Awareness Campaign was an initiative of his administration to raise awareness about responsible consumption of alcohol and initiate change in drivers’ attitude.


Source: http://nationalmirroronline.net