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FG, LASG Warn Public to Stay Off Airport Road Flyover
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Mr Olukayode Popoola, has warned the public to stay off the Airport Road Flyover in Lagos pending the determination of its structural safety following a fire incident on Thursday.
Yesterday, the bridge, which runs over Toyota Bus Stop on the Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonshoki Expressway being reconstructed, was engulfed by fire when a petrol tanker burst into flames.
In a joint inspection of the affected structures by the federal and Lagos State governments on Friday, Mr Popoola raised concerns over the safety of the bridge, saying that its safe use had yet to be ascertained.
He explained that samples have been taken from the burnt bridge for analysis in order to ascertain the level of damage and where to carry out the necessary repairs.
Speaking on the damage with available data, Mr Popoola said that 200 meters of the rigid pavement of the Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonshoki Expressway reconstruction project, being carried by the Dangote Group, was burnt.
He added that the deck of the flyover was burnt and its pier badly damaged, raising fears of the structural instability of the bridge.
The controller said that the bridge was barricaded after the fire because of safety concerns, regretting that the barriers were removed at night.
He warned that there would be risks in using the bridge.
“We are taking some samples to go and analyse before we know the structural stability, but physically, a lot of damage has been done to this pier of the bridge.
“The integrity is already compromised.
“Yesterday the road was barricaded but in the night, some people went and removed the barricade.
“We are advising that members of the public should not take the risk of using this bridge,” he said.
He further said that about 200 meters of the bridge deck, as well as the pavement of Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonshoki Expressway being reconstructed, was affected by the inferno.
He added that one of the piers – pillars of the bridge – was badly burnt, making the ministry unsure of the structural integrity and safety of the bridge.
He said that outcome of tests would ensure appropriate action on the flyover constructed by Julius Berger Plc, as well as the highway under reconstruction by the Dangote Group.
According to the controller, the Federal Highway Act empowers the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to prosecute whoever caused damage to assets of the Federal Government.
“This Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonshoki Expressway project is ongoing, and we have not even completed it. Now, due to the carelessness of drivers, this fire occurred, and you can see the level of the damage.
“The pavement that we have spent a lot of money, up to 200 meters – have been affected; that will cost a lot of money,” he said.
Mr Popoola noted that the ministry had been working in collaboration with Lagos State Government to tackle trucks’ menace and other infractions affecting road infrastructure.
The Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Works and Infrastructure, Mrs Aramide Adeyoye, said that the state government, through its Ministry of Transportation, would embark on strict enforcement of road worthiness regulation.
She said that the government’s agents would begin to enter depots and loading bays for petrol tankers to ensure that those which are not roadworthy will not lift petroleum products.
Mrs Adeyoye said that truck accident causing damage to road infrastructure had become recurrent.
“Oftentimes, they claim that the roads are bad. What do you say about this one now that the road is very good, there is no pothole anywhere,” she said.
She called for attitudinal change noting that fires caused by tanker accidents had caused much hardship on road users, urging that road unworthy trucks should stop coming into Lagos State.
She said that the support of the Federal Government was important in tackling the menace.
Mr Cyril Zango, Deputy Corps Commander (Operations), Lagos Sector Command of the Federal Roads Safety Corps, said the offending truck had been impounded.
He said that investigations were on as regards the accident, adding that, if found guilty, the owner and the driver of the tanker would be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to other road users.
Mr Zango said that articulated vehicle drivers engaged sharp practices to evade checks.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A new 5,000m² vehicle assembly facility located near the Port of Tema in Accra has been opened by Volkswagen as part of its commitment to the development of the automotive industry in Ghana.
Volkswagen was the first automotive company to be registered under the Ghana Automotive Development Programme (GADP), and this new investment strengthened the brand’s presence in the country and the region.
Recall that in August 2020, Volkswagen awarded an assembly contract to Universal Motors Limited (UML) as its licenced importer in the West African country.
But with this latest development, Volkswagen will take over the new vehicle assembly responsibility from UML, which assembled models such as Tiguan, Teramont, Passat, Polo, Amarok and T-Cross on behalf of Volkswagen using Semi-Knocked Down (SKD) assembly kits imported from South Africa.
“Ghana is an important market for our Sub-Saharan Africa expansion plans, especially in West Africa, where we have identified opportunities of developing a collaborative automotive industry hub amongst the countries in the region.
“The hub concept will ensure that each country with an automotive development policy or economic interest in the automotive industry has an important role to play in the supply value chain. We believe AfCFTA will be the catalyst which will unlock trade barriers and promote regional collaboration amongst the countries,” the Chairperson and Managing Director of Volkswagen Group South Africa, Ms Martina Biene, said.
“Volkswagen is fully committed to Ghana and in supporting its industrial transformation agenda despite the current economic challenges facing the country. We are here for the long haul.
“Our company believes in long-term investments which are nurtured through mutual relationships with like-minded partners.
“Ghana’s commitment to the development of its automotive industry is evident in the GADP, which is still the blueprint automotive policy in the region in terms of creating an enabling environment for the establishment of an automotive industry in Sub-Saharan Africa,” Ms Biene added.
Ghana is the fourth Volkswagen assembly location in Sub-Saharan Africa. The other locations are in South Africa, where Volkswagen has been manufacturing vehicles for over 72 years, as well as Kenya and Rwanda.
Volkswagen has a presence in 17 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, where it sells passenger and commercial vehicles through licensed importers.
“As the last frontier for the global development of the automotive industry, Sub-Saharan Africa has become very important for the sustainability of Volkswagen. We are therefore accelerating our growth strategy on the continent by playing a pioneering and leading role in the development of the automotive industry,” commented Ms Biene.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Nigeria, one of the major markets of the leading mobility app in Africa, Bolt, is set to benefit from the fresh €500 million earmarked for expanding the company’s services on the continent.
The ride-hailing firm said it intends to inject the funds into its African operations in the next two years after the demand for its services is increasing despite the harsh economic challenges.
According to a statement, Bolt hopes to create opportunities for over 300,000 new drivers and couriers to join the platform in 2023.
“While many companies are scaling back investments given the macroeconomic environment, we recognize the transformational effect platforms like Bolt can have in Africa.
“We operate in markets where there are unique challenges, and by continuing to expand our services, we will offer people new opportunities to earn a good living by being a driver, as well as providing millions of customers with a safe, reliable, and affordable way of moving around their city,” the Regional Manager for West and North Africa at Bolt, Ireoluwa Obatoki, said.
The founder of Bolt, Mr Markus Villig, is in Africa with Bolt’s global leadership team where they are visiting local Bolt teams in South Africa and Kenya and meeting with senior government stakeholders.
The company was launched in South Africa in 2016 but now operates ride-hailing and delivery services in Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania and Tunisia, with over 47 million customers and 900,000 drivers on the platform.
Its corporate travel arm, Bolt Business, has also been introduced in Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Tanzania and Kenya, offering local businesses safe and affordable ways for their employees to travel.
“Over the past seven years, we have built a strong team of 500 people in Africa, and we remain committed to investing in local communities for the long term.
“At a time when many countries are facing economic challenges, we will continue to grow our presence in Africa through this new investment which offers massive potential to create new jobs and income opportunities for drivers and couriers,” Mr Villig stated.
Within seven years of its inception, Bolt has surpassed one billion rides in Africa and expects the number of drivers on the platform to hit over one million in the next six months.
In 2021, Bolt introduced a new service that allowed female riders to choose a female driver for their journey. This new category not only increased safety for both drivers and riders in South Africa but also provided women with a way to explore new earnings opportunities.
Following the success of the ‘women-only’ category in South Africa, it was also launched in Nairobi and Mombasa, Kenya.
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