Wale Jagun
The Lagos State Government, on Thursday, November 19, 2020, read the riot act to motorcycle and tricycle operators, and warned them against violating the existing traffic laws in the state.
Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Frederic Oladeinde, gave the charge in a release signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Gboyega Akosile.
Also in the release, law enforcement agencies were also directed to embark on enforcement on all restricted routes.
The release stated that the order was in response to the flagrant violation of the traffic laws and other anomalies on the roads by motorcycle and tricycle operators, adding that the restriction on them from plying 10 major highways, 40 bridges and roads within six local governments and nine Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) in the State is still in force.
According to the release, the State Government also expressed its displeasure over the disobedience to the Transport Sector Reform Law (TSRL) 2018.
Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, said that the game is over for traffic offenders, especially the menace and impunity of commercial motorcycles and tricycles’ operators in the State.
“Our Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has since his assumption of office, prioritized his administration’s development agenda encapsulated as THEMES. The ‘T’ stands for Traffic Management and Transportation.
“In the last one and a half years, Mr. Governor has demonstrated his affirmed commitment to our roads, reform complex junctions to promote better traffic flow, invested in water and land transportation through the provision of ferries and high capacity buses.
“In spite of all the efforts of Mr. Governor to reform our transport sector, it is, therefore, disheartening to note that a lot of our people are still going against the extant law of the state on transport operation and safe driving on our roads and in our communities.
“ The State Government prioritises the safety and security of the people. As a government, we cannot continue to watch this lawlessness to develop into an uncontrollable situation.
“I say the game is over because in the last few months, we have witnessed a lot of security and safety challenges apparently as a result of the activities of unscrupulous ‘Okada’ riders. These operators do not only violate the provisions of the Transport Sector Reform Law of Lagos State2018, with respect to restriction of areas of operations, but perpetrate crime using their motorcycles.”
He said that all commercial transport operators must carry out their daily activities within the approved routes in Lagos State, adding that any motorist caught driving against traffic will face the maximum penalty and will equally be charged to the court of law under the transport sector reform law of Lagos 2018.
Oladeinde, while stressing the need for sanity on the roads within Lagos, said the restriction of motorcycles on certain routes in Lagos State is still in force and failure to comply with the law will attract sanctions as stipulated in the Transport Sector Reform Law (TSRL) 2018, with penalties ranging from N20, 000 to three months imprisonment.
“In line with this Administration’s plan to build Lagos that works for all, we are determined to continue to engage with the various transport unions and associations of tricycle and okada operators to ensure their members cooperate with us in the process of ensuring public safety by abiding with the TSRL 2018 at all time.
“With the upsurge in the number of commercial motorcycle operators, we shall intensify our enforcement strategy. This we intend to carry out along with the various transport union leaders. We will set up a joint enforcement team to ensure that our roads are sanitised from the menace of okada riders.
“We, hereby, direct all law enforcement agencies; Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), Taskforce and the Nigerian Police to immediately and continuously embark on enforcement on all restricted routes.”
