The Successes, Failings of Gov Ambode in one year.

- scores high in inner road rehabilitation.
- steady improvement in security
 - taking Lagos backward in general environmental management and enforcement of laws. 

From the Light Up Lagos project of Gov Akinwunmi Ambode

In one year, there is no doubt that Lagos State has witnessed quite a remarkable developments in some areas. But equally, the government appeared to have done badly in adding to the improved environment that Lagos State achieved under the last administration of Babatunde Fashola. In fact, Lagos State  in the last one year has degenerated in the areas of enforcement of law and order in environmental-related areas.   

Roads Construction and Rehabilitation.
 In the areas of rehabilitation of roads, particularly in the badly damaged inner roads across some sections of the state, Gov Akinwunmi Ambode deserves commendation. Also, the Gov has done tremendously well in lighting major parts of roads in the state.
For  example, most commendable is the ongoing project of constructing bridge at traffic trouble spot, Abule Egba.

Okada madness on Agege-Motor Road, Lagos highway.

Conspiracy or sabotage against Ambode's government?
In nearly one year, Gov Akinwunmi Ambode has sacked two Chairmen of Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences Units and appointed replacements. Currently, it appears nothing has really changed as regards enforcement of okada (motorcycles as taxi restrictions). Same goes for cart pushers who have increased in ten folds on Lagos highways, competing with PSP LAWMA trucks in waste management.
 
Pictures taken in the past few weeks across select places in Lagos say so much about what looks like conspiracy or sabotage against Ambode's government in the areas of lack of enforcement for decent environment.
 
Recall that in August 2015  Ambode sacked Mr. Akeem Adedeji less than two months after he was engaged as Chairman of Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences Units. Olubukola Abey, a Superintendent of Police replaced Adedeji.
In March after an okada rider went against flow of traffic in Mile 12 and killed a woman, leading to riots and deaths of over 30 people, Ambode sacked Abe.

 The newly reconstructed and upgraded Ajasa-Command Road, Ipaja with street lights, drainage and walk-way in Alimosho Local Government commissioned by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, on Friday, May 27, 2016.

The governor appointed Saidi Yinka Egbeyemi to replace Abe, a Superintendent of Police (SP). But nothing has changed on the restricted roads despite claims of hundreds of commercial motorcycles being seized and riders prosecuted by the government.

Despite reports that the Task Force has been impounding okadas plying the restricted roads as well as the Mobile Courts convicting traffic offenders, the increasing volume of okada riders in Lagos and daily high rate of lawlessness of commercial bus (danfo) drivers are worrisome.  

Cart Pusher on highway in Ikeja

 Environmental management Declines in Lagos.
Never in the history of Lagos, in the last 16 years since Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu's government introduced the PSP has the Lagos environment decine as it is currently. In fact, the purpose of the PSP, which was to eliminate proliferation of dumpsite and cart pushers appeared to have been defeated in the last one year.

Cart pushers on Lagos highways, carrying wastes from one palce to another are daily on the increase. About a month ago, the Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Babatunde Adejare, who met community development committees and the Neighbouhood Watch in Ikeja confirmed the declining state of environment in Lagos.

A Punch newspaper of May 2, 2016 puts it this way: Adejare said it was in the interest of residents of the state to patronise the PSP operators and desist from patronising cart pushers and dumping refuse in drainage channels.

Adejare, who was represented by a director in the Ministry of the Environment, Mr. Stephen Adeniji, said, “We must all embrace the PSP option for a safer and cleaner environment. The Lagos State Waste Management Authority is currently educating Lagosians on government policies regarding waste management.”

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Community and Communications, Kehinde Bamigbetan, advocated the setting up of a CDA patrol unit to monitor activities in their domains and ensure that residents patronised the PSP operators.

He said, “The CDCs and CDAs must be involved in project executions in their communities. Community leaders, through monitoring of ongoing projects in their areas, will be able to tell the government if they are satisfied with the progress of the work or not.”

Also, Adejare on Saturday in Badagry warned that the state government had declared zero tolerance for all forms of environmental degradation in the state and would prosecute anyone violating its laws.

Adejare said illegal dumps that currently dotted some parts of the state would not be tolerated, saying they could paint the state in a bad light.

He said, “We need to put a plan in place on how to improve the environment in the state, especially in Badagry. This is one of the ancient towns in the state. We will not accept a dirty environment in Badagry. These rubbish dumps everywhere didn’t walk there; they were created by people.”

Cart Pushers in Maryland.

New Eko Dun fears that Lagos might return to the pre-PSP era if the activities of the cart pushers are not banned completely in line with the laws that set up PSP wate management scheme.

The Okada restriction enforcement and another conspiracy.
It is quite disturbing that the more the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) releases the number of okadas seized, the higher the volume of the law breaking okada riders. But the conspiracy was exposed when the new head of the Task Force Chairman Lagos State Task Force, SP Saheed Olayinka Egbeyemi atteasted one
Edem who claimed to be residing at Flat 11, Block 2, intelligent quarters, Nigerian Army Cantonment, Ojo Lagos was paraded as an impersonator. 
 The Nation newspaper of  May 03, 2016 reported: 
Edem who claimed to be an Army Captain attached to the Military Cantonment, Ojo came for the release of an impounded motorcycle that was arrested at Oshodi Tuesday by the operatives of both the Police and Paramilitary Officers attached to the Agency.
The fake Army Captain who had harassed both Policemen and Paramilitary Officers that he should be allowed to see the Chairman as a matter of urgency was eventually ushered in to see the Chairman.
After listening to Edem’s pleading, SP Egbeyemi questioned him further on his personality as an Army Captain it later turned out that he was just an engineer and not an Army Officer.
The fake captain who doesn’t know that the Agency policy does not allow release of impounded motorcycles came for the release of a ‘BOXER’ motorcycle with chassis NO D2A18AZ3FMW34913X that was impounded for having contravened the Lagos State Road Traffic Laws of 2012.

  The above clearly showed that all along, some officers in the task force team have been conspiring with people like to Edem and releasing seized okada to recalcitrant okada riders.

 Again, the struggling of the government to enforce the laws on okada riders confirm the lack of capacity on the part of the Ambode-led government. It did not take so long under the previous government – after the 2012 Lagos State Traffic laws were enacted – for the then government to rid the highways and other restricted routes of okada riders.

 

Okadas blocking entrance and outlet to major hihway in Ikeja.

As Gov Ambode-led government starts the second year in office, New Eko Dun advises the government to enforce the Lagos State Traffic Laws fully and ensure that cart pushers are taken of the streets. Reason: Leaving okada riders on the restricted routes and allowing Lagos state to be haven for cart pushers are two major potential threats to the security of Lagos State.