By RUKAYAT MOISEMHE

Some residents of Ajah on the Lekki-Epe corridor in Lagos State on Good Friday decried gridlock on the corridor, attributing it to ongoing road repairs between the Eleganza Toll Gate and Victoria Garden City.

The residents said that Easter season, ordinarily characterised by free flow of traffic on the corridor due to public holiday, was not so this year due to the construction.

The residents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the gridlock discouraged them from visiting loved ones and recreational centres on Good Friday.

NAN reports that impatience among motorists and their disregard for traffic rules worsened the situation, leading to disorder and congestion.

This forced many commuters to trek long distances, while some vehicles ran out of fuel while stuck in traffic.

Low passenger turnout characterised interstate motor parks in Ajah as only few passengers came out for travels to Ibadan, Ilorin, Osogbo and other places as at the time a NAN correspondent monitored activities at the parks.

Mrs Fola Bello, an Ajah resident, said a journey from Eleganza Toll Gate to Ajah, which typically took about seven minutes by bus, lasted more than two hours due to the construction and motorists’ impatience.

According to her, the development dampened the festive mood, as commuters were frustrated in gridlock, with some engaging in arguments.

She urged deployment of more officers of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and other agencies for more efficient traffic management on the corridor.

Bello, however, commended the state government for progress made on the road rehabilitation, noting that it would ultimately ease movement.

“ We thank the state government for its efforts, and hope that attention will also be given to power supply and security,” she said.

Another resident, Mr Anya Ibe, said that the rate of travel during Easter was usually lower than that of the Christmas season.

Ibe said that his employer declared only Friday and Monday as public holidays, requiring him to work on Saturday, which limited his ability to travel.

He also commended the state government’s efforts on the road rehabilitation and called on waste management authorities to clear blocked drains to prevent flooding.

“They have done well on the road, but some bus stops have blocked drains. You can see water on the roadside.

“When the rains come, the water will have nowhere to go, leading to flooding and potential damage to the road,” he said.

A food vendor at the Ajah Motor Part, Mrs Sikirat Gbadebo, told NAN that the significance of the Easter season remained intact in spite of the heavy traffic.

She said that many Ajah residents attended Good Friday church services, with more programmes scheduled throughout the Easter period.

Gbadebo added that the rate of her sales remained largely unchanged, and urged the state government to provide palliatives to cushion the impact of rising fuel pump price. (NAN)

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