Lagos Task Force, transporters to partner on traffic management

The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit, popularly called ‘Taskforce,’ and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) have agreed to join forces in the control of gridlocks and enforcement of Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018, as amended.

The two bodies said that the partnership had been formed in line with government’s commitment to ensure free movement of motorists and commuters in Lagos and minimise the man-hour lost to gridlocks daily across the state.

According to the partnership blueprint, the duo will be working on modalities and other guidelines to be adopted in enforcing the traffic laws, including sensitisation of Lagosians through various advocacies that would engender mutual understanding between the task force and NURTW officials and further entrench sanity of Lagos highways.

Chairman of the agency, CSP Shola Jejeloye, disclosed this on yesterday when he hosted executive members of the NURTW (Lagos branch), led by its chairman, Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo), during a courtesy visit to the agency.

Addressing the team, Jejeloye explained that it had become imperative for the union to educate their members in different dialects and the need to comply with the state traffic regulations.

According to him, the operatives would not tolerate excesses of commercial bus drivers whose illegal activities cause traffic gridlocks by loading or off-loading passengers at undesignated points.

“We must all work together to checkmate the recalcitrant commercial bus drivers among them, causing unnecessary obstructions on Lagos roads, as well as those driving on BRT corridors and plying the one-way road in flagrant disobedience to the Lagos Traffic Law,” he said.

The chairman said that the government would not condone the killing of innocent members of the public by commercial bus drivers trying to evade arrest from the law enforcement officers after contravening the stipulated rules and regulations on the roads.

He, therefore, urged the delegation to support the government in screening out the criminally-minded drivers, especially those who use their commercial vehicles to rob innocent members of the public through ‘One- Chance.’

While imploring the team to compel their members to always make use of parks provided by the government and desist from using illegal bus-stops, roadsides, and drainage alignments as loading points across the state, Jejeloye said the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, had directed that any arrested traffic offenders would be charged to court and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Earlier in his address, the NURTW boss requested the collaboration of the agency in the enforcement of the state traffic law. According to him, “Our union members are ready to work with your agency in the area of ensuring strict compliance with the state traffic laws across the state.”