Independence Bridge Closure: Sanwu-Olu Urges Residents to Conduct Business Remotely

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has appealed to residents to conduct all business remotely for the next two to three weeks due to the closure of Independence Bridge for rehabilitation.

Sanwo-Olu apologized to residents for the hours-long gridlock experienced on April 2 due to the bridge’s closure in the Victoria Island area. He acknowledged that the repair work is causing discomfort but emphasized that it is necessary to preserve the integrity of the bridge.

He stated this during the inspection of the bridge on Thursday, noting that he takes full responsibility for the gridlock.

“First, I think what is appropriate is to tender apology to all our citizens and to all Lagosians for a very difficult heinous traffic that we experienced in the last 24 hours within the city and the Island of Lagos,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The governor explained that the bridge, one of the oldest in the country, had begun to fail and required urgent repairs to avert future disasters.

“There is never a best time to solve a difficult problem like this. Any time you do it, there would be discomfort. Let’s bite the bullet and come out of this better,” Sanwo-Olu said.

To mitigate the impact of the closure, Sanwo-Olu advised residents to use alternative routes and conduct business remotely. He also warned against reckless driving and driving against traffic during the rehabilitation period.

“If you don’t have business to do in Victoria Island in the next two to three weeks, conduct your business via social media, telephone, zoom meetings, online meetings, let’s plan ahead,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu assured residents that traffic will be managed and diverted during the rehabilitation, with a increased presence of LASTMA officers on the road.

“You are going to see a lot of LASTMA officers on the road, we are calling them from other parts of the city to come here,” he said.