Traffic enforcement: Lagos orders LGA officials from the road
The Lagos State Government on Tuesday banned all officials of the 57 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) from controlling or engaging in traffic duties in the state.
The state also cancelled all official number plates currently in use as a result of gross abuse and directed the re-issuance of new official number plates to all government-owned vehicles.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Anofiu Elegushi, gave the order in a news conference at the state secretariat, Alausa.
Elegushi said the order had become necessary as a result of much complaint about council officials involved in traffic enforcement and management.
he noted that there are traffic units in all 57 LGAs and LCDAs, but traffic enforcement and management “is not a responsibility for the third tier of government.
“We have reported instances of illegal arrest, extortion and general impunity on the part of the local government operatives. It is then appropriate to disband all the units and outfits parading as local government traffic units.
“This has been communicated to all these agencies. For the avoidance of doubt, officials of the ministry will start monitoring and any infraction will be dealt with in full compliance with the law.
“Let me also reiterate that only the Nigerian Police, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Taskforce on Special Offences and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) can perform traffic duties,” Elegushi said.
On the number plates, Elegushi said government had now deemed it necessary to carry out a review so as to ensure better identification of government vehicles and end the era of abuse of the official number plates and its negative consequences on security. (Thisday)
