WELCOME TO LAGOS? By Layi Deinde
Lagos state, the limited landmass with limitless opportunities, like all parts of NIGERIA is in urgent need of alternate means of driving sanity, which I don’t see its effectiveness, in the present regime of Traffic Laws being implemented by the present crop of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority.
The 3,343 square kilometre of area having almost 20,000,000 population overwhelms the limited facilities available.
This is compounded by a Federal Government that further burden the State in place of removing or reducing the pressure on facilities available there.
I need to be informed of what is in abundance here in Lagos, the Roads, the Houses, Health and Education facilities, Water, name it?
The demand for goods and services in limited supply is what propel the mad rush LAGOS is synonymous with.
Talk about the Road infrastructure, a vital requirement for a functional Land Transportation system. This requires aggressive and constant upgrading and expansion.
The efforts channeled along improvement of Roads Infrastructure is quiet lauded, more needs to get done to accommodate the ever increasing commuters using the limited facilities.
The present Rainfall isn’t helping matters.
Managing the Roads, a role LASTMA is saddled with, the Traffic Laws that just got reviewed needs to be appraised critically for the determination of its primary objective.
Laws are primarily meant to deter and or reform citizens.
Looking at the present regime where defaulters of the traffic laws get their vehicles impounded, this does more than either to deterr
or reform a defaulter. It can devastate a defaulter completely, where his dependants join in the punishment. Bearing a brunt they know nothing about.
A deep search into the reason for breach of traffic laws isn’t far from the poor condition of roads that the LASTMA men needs to do more in making passable.
There’s is need to instil and drive a reasonable level of sanity in the land. It is best done with a human face. The law enforcers are high handed in the discharge of their duty, they even worsen the government position by defying the instruction never to drive defaulter’s vehicle.
I witnessed one this Monday morning 8th July, 2019.
A tricycle who tried to comply with the traffic rule was stopped somewhere around PEN CINEMA alternate routes. Based on the fact that he maintained the normal lane he challenged the LASTMA officers who waived him down. The officer was infuriated as to why an ordinary driver could question his authority. He struggled to get hold of the Tricycle key. With his colleagues he succeeded. Telling the passengers going to work to alight and find their way. The passengers which I was among were devastated as we all warned the driver against breaking the traffic rule, he complied, as he claimed he just paid #12,000 penalty, the previous week, i didn’t verify if it was official or otherwise. To meet our respective appointment. Everyone looked for other means of getting to their respective destination.
A situation where the fines or penalties are exorbitant is likely to make drivers seek for ways or means of escape. This could spell doom for officers, performing their duties.
Officers who go outside the rules, looking for defaulters by any means put the good officers in danger, when drivers try to escape from getting caught.
A situation where vehicles are impounded on the roads should be looked into. Considering passengers who are going to catch early morning appointment or going to work. Going to work or an attempt to meeting meet an appointment is actually no justification for breach of State laws.
There are several reasons rush hour traffic is heavy, few are as listed.
Reconstruction of roads that is taking too long a time is one major factor.
The poor state of some roads is also a factor.
The poor management of traffic is part of the reasons.
Poor traffic culture is also a key reason.
The reasons revolves between the citizens and the government. Finding a good ground to meet is a best approach, in my view. The citizens should not be at the loosing end at all times.
The laws should be friendly in enforcement, a situation whereby laws made by the government for her citizens leaves them devastated should be looked into. Laws and its implementation or enforcement needs to be mild, especially at a time where the nation is going through a rebuilding phase. A period Nigeria is described as the “POVERTY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD”
Our laws should not further populate the ever increasing poor population. A situation where the penalty for breach of State laws will cost an amount commercial transport operators are unable to make in a single day is not the best. The impounding of vehicles that drive against traffic is akin to amputation as the penalty for a slap!
Our strategists in Lagos, a lot still need to get effected.
Layi Deinde 2019.