Gates, barricades, doors or whatever serves as a barrier to unwanted entrance, either by humans, animals or extraneous atmospheric condition, have come to be cherished and acknowledged as static security agent. However, most people have come to use the gates as a means of intimidation, causing a good number of people to be locked out of their homes by either the street authority of landlord. But the Lagos State government has promulgated a law, outlawing the locking of street gates within specified times of the day while also ordering the re-opening of all gates within the metropolis. There must be a good reason for this. ERIC ELEZUO writes on the pros and cons of the new.
In view of the challenges posed by the unrestricted erection of street gates, the Lagos State government is revisiting the directive on the gates and barricades. Any contravention of this directive will attract necessary punishment for defaulters.” That was the voice of the Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Hon. Muslim Folami while briefing journalist in company of the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Community Development and Chairman of Community Affairs Advisory Council, Mr. Tajudeen Adeniyi Quadri, on the government’s decision to open up every gate within the metropolis, as well as punish offenders. In every community, street, lane, close or even compound, there is always the presence of gates or one form of barricade or another, restricting movements of unwanted entities, evil people more especially.
The reasons the barricades are kept have been satisfactorily explained before, until now when some people have supposedly misplaced the advantages, using it as a means of vendetta, extortion and many more contradictory reasons. Madu chukwuka, a resident of Otto Street in the Ijanikin, who works as a factory attendant in Apapa area of Lagos, lamented the closing of gates in the area, saying that his movement is restricted greatly since he was meant to leave home early in order to beat the traffic, and get to his office in the Island on time. However, because of the locked gate, which opens late, according to him, it is almost impossible for him to make it to the office on time. “I am supposed to resume duties every day at 7am, and if I must meet the time set, I must leave my house by 4:30 or 5am, considering the heavy traffic. But with this street closing thing, it is always impossible for me to meetb up.
I, most of the time, sleep in the office, just to meet the time the next morning,” he said. But most other residents are delighted at the shutting of gates, saying it serves as security for the residents, and a deterrent to wouldbe criminals. Olawale Sobowale is a landlord at the Oluti area of Lagos , said the closing of gates is a welcome development since it wards evil doers. “For everything, there is a purpose. If there are no gates or barricades, robbers and evil doers will have a field day against lives and property. So government should consider very well before ordering their reopening.” He said. But the Lagos State government has said that the order is not meant to intimidate anyone, but was as a result of the disturbing trend of closure of street gates across the state.
The government therefore ordered the re-opening of all street gates and barricades in the nook and cranny of the state between 5am and 12 midnight daily, just as it warned that defaulting streets would have their gates pulled down within seven days of its pronouncement, stating that such locked gates must be manned by security guards within the period under lock and key in case of emergencies. According to the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Development and Chairman of Community Affairs Advisory Council, Mr. Tajudeen Adeniyi Quadri, the decision of the state government followed series of complaints from residents on the disturbing trend of street gates and barricades. He said there have been situations whereby fire fighters and police were prevented from getting to emergency scenes on time due to street gates and barricades as well as instances where rushing patients with emergency situations to hospital were equally frustrated.
Quadri, who spoke alongside the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Hon Muslim Folami; Special Adviser to the Governor on Community and Communications, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, and some Chairmen of Community Development Associations (CDA), said as a responsive and responsible government, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has directed that the restriction on closure of street gates and barricades be strictly adhere to henceforth. Quadri said information reaching government was that gates were being locked in several places throughout the day, causing much inconveniences of residents having to walk round to get to the main road, and that some gates were deliberately locked just to prevent others from using the roads, thereby aggravating traffic situations, especially in areas where such roads are meant to serve as thoroughfares or alternative link routes. He added that most places where gates have been mounted have become environmentally unhygenic, while it had been observed that mechanics have also turned such streets to their workshops.
Corroborating the state government’s stand, a commercial bus driver, who drives the popular Lagos danfo bus, otherwise called ‘venagon’ these days, told National Mirror that whenever there is traffic build up on the expressway, the only alternative may just be the adjoining streets, adding that one is always disappointed when he gets there because the gates leading to the access streets are always locked. The driver added that even it is not locked, there are couple of miscreants stationed therein to extort money from motorists. “It is not every time that the expressway is free. At such times, the alternative becomes the adjoining streets, but when you get there, they are always locked, thereby building up unnecessary traffic.
Even when the gates are opened, there are always handful of tough looking touts extorting money from us; you either pay or go back,” he said. At some streets in the Orile area of Lagos, the front and back of some gates have been converted to workshops for vulcanisers, mechanics and petty traders. The grease emitted by the mechanics’ work has changed the aesthetics of the environment, an action which prompts the reaction of the Lagos state government. Most respondents who spoke Saturday Mirror recalled that the directive on street gates and barricade was initially introduced in 2009, but it was unfortunate that as years rolled by, the directive seemed to be abandoned, as more street gates were introduced even to streets that never had them before. In his reaction, Quadri said: “This government therefore, observes with caution that though the erecting and closing of these gates may be desirable, the consequences on the overall urban efficiency, aesthetics and functionality of the city, and especially traffic flow poses questions difficult to answer.
“These barricades, though well intended, constitute obstruction to traffic, especially in areas, where such street gates or barricades are on roads meant to serve as thoroughfares or alternative link routes.” Also speaking, Folami warned that the State Government would pull down gates and barricades in any defaulting streets, adding that government would not spare any Community Development Association (CDA) found wanting in strictly complying with the government directive on street gates and barricades. At the moment, there are still streets that operate locked gates even in the afternoon, thereby deriding the government’s directive. This situation had most residents scorn the government, saying that the government is never serious about whatever law they passes. Some people are also of the view that if the government must see the instruction to fulfillment, it must ensure adequate security for the metropolis before even enacting a law that supposes people letting off their guard.
Mr. Jibunoh Daniels, a secondary school proprietor said: “The measure is a fine one, but in a society where insecurity is the order of the day, it is not advisable. However, the government, must, as a matter of urgency, ensure that adequate security is achieved in the state before these laws could take adequate effect.” Yet another resident posited that this law be extended to landlords who are in the habit of locking the gates of the compounds even before it is 9pm, and will not open it until it is 6am. “It is not only the street gates, we have forgotten about some landlords, who indiscriminately lock the gates and doors to the compounds even by 9pm or before. This people also have the gut to walk any tenant back when he returns and knock. These landlords are more wicked that the CDA people,” the resident, who gave his name as Chuka said.
NATIONAL MIRROR
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