The Lagos State Government has announced its plans strictly enforce the Road Traffic Law 2012, restricting trailers and long vehicles from plying the metropolis between 6am and 9pm.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Oluseyi Whenu, who spoke to journalists on the backdrop of the fatal accident involving a container-laden trailer on Thursday at Ojuelegba, said the trailer contravened Section 2 (i) and 2 (ii) of the Traffic Law.
In a statement on Sunday, Whenu said the state government would henceforth go tough on any trailer and long vehicle that contravened the law as such vehicle would be impounded and made to pay the stipulated fine accordingly.
The statement added that the leaders of various transport unions and associations in the state had resolved to support the new directive introduced to apprehend traffic offenders.
Whenu, at the meeting clarified the state government’s position on the new directive, saying officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority had not been withdrawn from performing their statutory responsibilities on the road.
He explained that the new directive would lay more emphasis on flawless flow of traffic, while traffic offenders would be booked and expected to pay their fines within the stipulated period in line with the state government’s covenant with residents to make life easier for them.
Whenu solicited the co-operation and support of all transport operators in ensuring the success of the new traffic initiative.
He urged the operators to remind their members not to see the consideration by the state government as a sign of weakness by attacking LASTMA or any other enforcement agents, saying this would be sanctioned in accordance with relevant provisions of the law.
“The state government has also directed that all commercial passenger vehicles should obey all traffic rules and regulations by stopping only at designated bus-stops, close bus doors while in motion among other provisions of the law,” Whenu said.
State Chairman of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Musa Muhammed, who spoke on behalf of other union leaders, welcomed the new initiative, pledging the support of their members to cooperate with the state government in maintaining law, order and sanity in the transport sector.
