Lagos to temporarily close section of Island roads for Buhari’s visit

As President Muhammadu Buhari arrives Lagos State tomorrow for a two-day official visit, the state government has said that there will be traffic restriction on day one, Monday, January 23 and traffic diversion on Lagos Island on Tuesday, January 24, 2023.

The Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde assured that alternative routes have been mapped out as well as the deployment of the State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) to manage traffic flow during the two-day visit.
Explaining the routes that would be manned by the LASTMA personnel, the commissioner stated that; on the first day movement around Lagos Rice Mill, Imota in Ikorodu, and the Lekki Deep Port Sea axis would be restricted.

On the Second day, Tuesday 24th, movement around Eko Hotels and Suites, Ahmadu Bello Way, J-Randle through to Broad Street and Outer Marina will be diverted from 6.00am to 3.00pm.

Pleading with motorists for cooperation, Oladeinde said alternative routes have been made available as options for motorists depending on their destinations. The options according to the movement plan will have motorists diverted from Ahmadu Bello Way, Ademola Adetokunbo and Akin Adesola Street to Falomo Bridge (Five Cowries Bridge), to Alfred Rewane Road to connect their desired destinations.

Motorists that are Onikan bound from Ozumba Mbadiwe and Bonny Camp are enjoined to make use of Falomo Bridge (Five Cowries Bridge) or Awolowo Road. The Commissioner further stated that motorists from Awolowo Road heading to Onikan Roundabout, Tinubu Square or any other part of the inner Island will make use of Falomo Roundabout to link Alfred Rewane to further their journeys.

Another diversion option made available according to the statement is for motorists from King George V Road to connect Moloney Street and then Obalende for their desired destinations, or alternatively link Turton Street through Moloney Street to Lewis and Sandgrouse Streets.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, speaking on the president’s visit, said: “Although Mr. Governor had hosted the president during some of his visits to Lagos, but next week’s visit by President Muhammadu Buhari will be one with a difference. It is a visit where Mr. President will again see the beauty of Lagos and take the opportunity to see first-hand, the life changing and people-oriented projects that were conceptualised and completed by the Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu administration.

“The projects that will be inspected and commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari comprise the Lekki Deep Sea Port, the 32-metric tons per hour Lagos Rice Mill, the 18.75-kilometer 6-lane rigid-pavement Eleko Junction to Epe Expressway, The John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History as well as our pride, the iconic Lagos Blue Line rail project. The 2-day trip to Lagos will also see Mr. President commissioning a private sector project, MRS Lubricant factory, in Apapa.

“To this end, we have tagged President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Lagos ‘’A Festival of Project Commissioning’’. The Lagos State Government will welcome Mr. President with our signature centre of Excellence slogan and put on display our characteristic excellent performances and executions.

“Mr. President is scheduled to arrive Lagos on Monday, 23rd of January via the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammad Airport, where he would be received by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and some top dignitaries. There will be a short ceremony, which will include cultural display, presentation of bouquet and inspection of guard of honour by the special guest.

“Thereafter, Mr. Governor will lead the guest on helicopter to the Lekki Deep Sea Port for the official commissioning of the largest Sea Port in Sub-Saharan Africa. Mr. President and his host would be received at the Lekki Deep Sea Port by top government functionaries and board members of the Lekki Deep Sea Port.”