ASPMDA leaders with three officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development during the ministerial tour of the pedestrian bridge at the Lagos International trade fair Bus Stop on January 28, 2025. Photo: Business Hilights
Barring any deviation from an advisory suggestion to the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development for the building another massive pedestrian bridge at the Lagos International Trade Fair complex on Badagry Expressway, a new bridge will be constructed by the government on the spot as soon as possible.
This is coming on the heels of a fresh demand for the infrastructure by the President of Balogun Business Association (BBA), Chief Oscar Odogwu and Auto Spare parts and Machinery Dealers Association (ASPMDA), Hon. Ngozi Emchebe, when the two leaders paid a courtesy visit to the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu at State House.
During the visit, BBA President called on the Governor to consider additional pedestrian bridge for the complex due to rising human traffic which the governor agreed to consider.
As a follow up by the Governor, he immediately directed a facility tour by senior officials in the office of the Commissioner of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Abiodun Olumide.
Following the discussion, the Commissioner sent a team of assessors and Town Planners who came and after touring the infrastructure along with ASPMDA officials, came up with the idea that there is need for another pedestrian bridge as the existing one is over-stretched and cannot carry the traffic after the completion of the Blue Line train service on the highway.
The ASPMDA team that led officials of the Ministry included the First Vice President, Sir Livy Adili, General Secretary, Chief Sir Juventus Uche Okpala-Okaka, the PRO, Hon. Emeka and a member of ASPMDA Media team.
Addressing the ASPMDA team at the end of the tour, the leader of the Ministry Team, who pleaded anonymity said “Having seen the existing pedestrian bridge and observing that the carrying capacity considering the rising human traffic due to the markets at Trade fair, I will advise the Commissioner in our report for another bigger pedestrian bridge that will run right from inside the complex through to the other side of the highway.”
According to the senior officer “Government will make sure that the new pedestrian bridge will be ready ahead of the resumption of train services as the existing one cannot carry the huge traffic that will rise by then.
Currently, the Bus Stop has only one small pedestrian bridge constructed at the middle of the flyover which has been discovered as having a very poor capacity to serve the hyper volume of human traffic in and out of the complex especially during the morning and evening peak hours.
Business Hilights recalls that the small pedestrian bridge came with the flyover constructed in 1976/77 when the fair was opened for business, but in the last couple of years, more businesses have moved into the complex, thus prompting the urgent need for a bigger pedestrian bridge for crossing into the complex.
Efforts to speak with the ASPMDA President, Hon Ngozi Emechebe and BBA President, Chief Oscar Odogwu, failed as both were said to have gone to welcome Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu at Abule-Osun Bus Stop for the commissioning of the newly completed roads and traffic lights.
