Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday told officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA not to spare anyone who violated traffic laws, even if it was his brother.
Sanwo–Olu, who was at LASTMA office in Oshodi, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria on Friday said emphatically that if his brother broke traffic law, he should be arrested.
According to him, there would be no sacred cow in the enforcement of the law, saying that if anyone broke traffic law and was arrested and he said he knew the governor, “tell him to call the governor to pay the money for the offence.”
He told them not to listen to anyone from his cabinet who might want to use his position to get someone arrested by the officers off the hook.
Sanwo-Olu also made it clear that he would not condone corruption or bribe-taking from any LASTMA official and that they must be civil in discharging their duties.
He said Lagosians were expecting a decent and corrupt-free LASTMA, and that as such, they should be respectful when arresting an offender.
“Lagosians expect a corrupt-free LASTMA that will not be collecting bribes. Be respectful and courteous even when you are going to arrest an offender.
“Lagosians want LASTMA that is decent, they want neatness. We don’t want laziness and lateness to work. Be my advocates,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu said that the government would provide conducive working environment for the staff such as improvement of their allowances, repair of damaged vehicles and motorbikes, provision of raincoats, and other tools.
On operation of commercial motorcycles, tricycles, indiscriminate parking of imported vehicles by the roadside, he said he would have a meeting with security operatives to establish a law enforcement commission that would regulate their movements.
“There are rules that guide operation of commercial motorcycles. The Lagos State law has stated that okada should not operate on some roads.
“We will have a meeting with security operatives on what we should do. We are not going to condone people obstructing our roads. I am now taking it as warning to all those parking their vehicles on the road such as importers of Tokunbo vehicles to comply by removing them from the road.
“We will come one day and take all the vehicles off the road. People should provide space for their businesses,” he warned.
Earlier, some of the staff of the agency, while complaining about the challenges facing them, appealed to the governor to provide adequate security for them now that their working hours had been extended to 11pm.
They also requested for improvement in their welfare packages, rehabilitation of roads, training, and enforcement of existing regulations to aid their operations.
They also complained about constant harassment from motorists, and pedestrians crossing the highway under pedestrian bridges.
