5th September, 2013
The Lagos State Government has banned commuter buses, popularly known as Molue, from plying routes on Lagos Island, Lagos, southwest Nigeria.
The government says no Molue bus should cross any bridge linking the mainland with the Island, such as Third Mainland, Eko and Carter bridges, as they could no longer operate in the Central Business District, CBD.
The state government said the decision was taken in its determination to ensure adequate monitoring of commuter bus operators as reagrds compliance with traffic rules and regulations.
The General Manager, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Engr. Babatunde Edu, at a stakeholder’s meeting with the Branch Chairmen of the Lagos Urban Bus Owners Association of Nigeria, LUBON, the operators of Molue buses in the state on Wednesday in Oshodi, said the new directive came into effect since 19 August, 2013.
“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 4th of this month,” he said.
Edu stated that LASTMA has been mandated to ensure strict compliance with the ban and impound any bus that flouts the ban after 4 September.
The General Manager further said that Molue buses could ply roads in any other part of the state aside the restricted areas, reiterating that government has not banned the buses outright.
He said the buses are restricted to areas like Orile, Iyana Ipaja, Mile 2, Mile 12 among others and urged operators to voluntarily comply with the new directive.
While taking the operators through the prohibited routes, which include Iddo, Ebute Ero, Apongbon, Obalende, Idumota, CMS, among others, Edu appealed for cooperation and support of all the stakeholders.
Responding, the leader of the team, Engr. Taofeek Adesina commended the government for its effort to restore sanity and order in the state and therefore pledged the readiness of his union to lend its support.
—Kazeem Ugbodaga