The carelessness of Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) officials and the police, again came to the fore, following the tragic death of a pregnant woman, her two children, including the unborn, in a Keke Marwa, otherwise known as tricycle driver on Okota road, Lagos. This latest incident figuratively brought Okota road to a standstill on that fateful Tuesday morning. That was two days after the 63rd independence anniversary celebration. Our hope is that this accident should be thoroughly investigated, and measures put in place to forestall a repeat of such accident caused by the recklessness of government officials manning the roads.
This is not the first time LASTMA has been involved in such avoidable accidents in the state. In fact, people see LASTMA as an agency created to cause misery and frustrate motorists plying Lagos roads. The last time we checked, the core mandate of this agency established in 2000 is to ensure free flow of traffic in the state, but unfortunately, the primary duty of traffic control is being relegated to the background. The high handedness of some of the officials is better imagined than experienced. They have become lords unto themselves. What we see again on daily basis are officials who run after motorists, causing them to err on the roads in bid to extort money from them. Those who refused to comply are subjected to all kinds of humiliation, and having their vehicles impounded.
Today in Lagos state, LASTMA officials appear to have taken over the duties of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) on the roads and the authorities are not saying anything. There was some level of sanity in the agency 23 years ago when it was created, but it does appear the agency as it is today, is completely left in the hands of touts and the never-do-well in society to run. Even at that, common sense should teach officials of the agency that times are hard, meaning that a government agency like LASTMA should not increase the sufferings of the people, especially now that everyone is struggling. This is not to say that there are no good people working in the agency, but because the authority has refused to show the bad elements the way out, the people will continue to express disdain and disappointment until things change.
Although, the regime of Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode ensured that LASTMA worked within its mandate, but all those gains recorded at the time appear to have given way, considering what is happening at present in the system. This is a call to duty for the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo -Olu to ensure that order is restored urgently. There is no reason for LASTMA officials to run after vehicles when there are cameras and plate numbers to track down erring motorists. That is the practice in other climes where some of these officials may have received training in traffic management. Those whose duties involve traffic management should not use the opportunity to intimidate and frustrate hapless motorists on the roads. There is urgent demand for LASTMA high command monitoring team to check the activities of its personnel on the roads.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the agency should be alive to his responsibility by educating the general public, and directing where complaints should be lodged against recalcitrant officers who are not ready to work according to the mandate of the agency as handed down to them by the authority. We recommend that LASTMA officials, many of them, should undergo rigorous training and also be subjected to physical and psychological test to reduce the rates of incessant clashes between them and motorists which happen on daily basis. We call for thorough investigation on what happened at Ago Palace Way, Okota and other places in Lagos where LASTMA officials have been fingered to have caused irreparable damage resulting in the loss of lives.
This would go a long way to show the general public that government is not only interested in revenue collection, but also ready to punish erring officials who are not working in tandem with the mandate of the agency. LASTMA should strictly enforce its mandate and not to create problems where there should be none in the name of traffic management. This is not the time to impound people’s vehicle over flimsy excuses on the road. The havoc some of the personnel of this agency have caused on Lagos roads should be a lesson for the government to call them to order and curb their excesses, going forward.