World Bank Vice President, Africa Region, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili has commended the efforts of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) in the quest of the Lagos State Government to reform the transport sector.

Dr. Ezekwesili gave the commendation Thursday during a visit to Lateef Jakande Road/Wempco junction, rehabilitated by LAMATA through the technical support of the World Bank.

She expressed satisfaction that the junction has considerably reduced travel time, eliminated gridlock as well as provided walkways to promote intermediate modal means of commuting from one point to the other by pedestrians.

The World Bank Vice President explained that one of the ways of assessing poverty reduction was how transport is able to reduce the amount a household spends on transportation.

“I am happy at the testimony of the beneficiaries of this project, particularly the fact that before this junction was rehabilitated traffic could be held up for up to two hours. Again, we have to look at drivers’ education because the major reason why we have traffic gridlock in Lagos is the way the people drive,” Dr. Ezekwesili said.

She stressed the need for an enhanced communication of government efforts at improving the lives of the citizens, saying, “there is the need for the people to be clear in their mind that government exists because of them and anything done for them must be clearly understood.”