‘You’re Enforcement Not Harassment Officers’

 

Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday implored Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) and Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) officials not to harass offenders.

At an interactive session with them at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, he said there were more civil ways of apprehending offenders without harassing them.

According to him, the government will, henceforth, adopt technology to arrest offenders.

Ambode said: “Don’t victimise Lagosians, there are more civil ways to control and arrest offenders. From now, no harassment; you are enforcement officers and not harassment officers, arrest people in civil manner.”

The governor said the meeting became necessary following feedback from the public about the worsening traffic across the state. He charged the officials to note traffic bad spots and report back to government so as to find a lasting solution.

He said places like Third Mainland Bridge, Abule Egba, Dopemu, among others, which are known traffic black spots, must be decongested immediately.

Ambode also promised to assist the officials perform their task effectively.

The time, he said, has come for a new Lagos, urging LASTMA officials to desist from the habit of jumping into offenders’ car. The new tracking device of the government would be used to trace and arrest offenders, Ambode said.

The governor said: “I appeal strongly for your cooperation and support; as little as you think your work is, you are going to be the new face of this government. Whatever you do outside, you are actually doing it on my behalf and anything you do is a reflection of who I am.”

He sought their support, urging them to reflect on the promises he made to the electorate during electioneering.

“The primary duty of all of us is to make life easier for every Lagosian. If you do this, the pattern of your service delivery will change,” he said.

Ambode implored LASTMA to ensure that traffic improved, saying: “The feedback from outside is that traffic situation has worsened; we have to work round the clock to ensure free flow of traffic.”

Earlier, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Tunji Bello, urged the officials not to encourage indiscipline.

“You are the face of government; if the enforcement is not right and the traffic does not move, we are all in trouble. You have done well in the past, but you need to build on it; now, there will be no room for excuse,” he said.

Bello said LASTMA and KAI had been doing well but noted that they had to do more to keep Lagos working.

The SSG added that traffic must be decongested and street trading stopped.

Deputy Governor Dr Oluranti Adebule warned that bad eggs in LASTMA and KAI would be flushed out, saying extorting money from people must stop.

Dr Adebule charged the officials to live up to their responsibilities and ensure that the purpose for which their agencies were set up was achieved.

LASTMA Director of Operations Mr Phillip Ogunlade, and Mr Mayowa Adeyeye of KAI, said they would do their best to project the government.