Ban On ‘Korope’ Bus Along Lekki-Epe Expressway Irreversible, Says LASTMA GM

BY PAUL IYOGHOJIE

The General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Mr Bakare Oki has called on the seven-passenger bus operators, popularly called Korope, still operating illegally on the Lekki -Epe Expressway to desist henceforth from protesting the ban on their operations along the Corridor and in the process disrupting the free flow of traffic and inflicting unwarranted pains on commuters and road users.

Oki insisted that the ban has come to stay and it is irreversible.

In a recent exclusive interview with our Correspondent, Oki stated that the Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Transportation, is implementing the Bus Reform Initiative, BRI for a long term plan to modernise transportations and replace informal, unregulated transport like Korope and other rickety vehicles with well-organized high capacity buses for safety, comfort and for the overall benefits of commuters plying the Lekki-Epe Expressway Corridor.

He said the exercise is not about witchhunting drivers as being speculated in some quarters but part of a permanent, data driven initiatives to restructure public transportations along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

Oki said that the Korope bus operators are not banned from operating in Lagos State but are only being restricted to inner and feeder routes to continue their business for safety reasons and more importantly moving transportation to a higher level commensurate with the mega city vision of the Lagos State Government as a Centre of Excellence status.

Oki further stated that the Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Sola Giwa has held consultations with the transport unions, operators and stakeholders operating along the Corridor and they all consented to the Bus Reform Initiative of the Lagos State Government and the take off of the project.

“This is why the unwarranted protest by the Korope bus drivers along the Expressway will not and can never change the Government laudable initiatives of reforming and restructuring transportations along the Lekki-Epe Expressway because they have been fully informed and sensitised about the projects,” he said.

Oki also directed all the drivers operating the 14- and 18-passenger bus on the Lekki-Epe axis to refurbish and paint their vehicles to the approved blue and white colours and go to the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation to obtain a code and certification to ply the Lekk-Epe Expressway, saying failure to comply will attract sanctions.