Lagos State House of Assembly has summoned the general manager, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Permanent Secretary, Transportation, Lagos State Safety Commission, as well as, Head of Lagos State Fire Service Authority to appear before it on Monday, September 21, over the spate of fire and tanker accidents in the state.
Earlier, in its plenary session, the House directed the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode to commence the automation of the entire traffic monitoring system of the state in 2016.
Raising the motion on the floor of the House, Gbolahan Yishawu representing Eti-Osa Constituency 1, said, the state traffic law, which is being enforced manually has not achieved its aims, adding that it is humanly impossible for law enforcement agents to keep surveillance on the roads 24 hours and ensure enforcement with the way it is presently being done.
According to him, “We should put machines with different cameras on the roads to help the law enforcement agents. The device would help the security agents to apprehend offenders. It would help monitor BRT lanes, it would help identify trailers who move on the day time and it would help exonerate innocent road users,” he said.
Supporting the motion, Rotimi Olowo, Shomolu Constituency 1 said, that the motion is timely as it is coming at a time the state Governor directed officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) to stop harassing motorists.
He added that the motion would help protect the lives of passengers, “while we are trying to curb the menace of road users, we will also be protecting the lives of passengers”,
“Areas including Agege, Somolu are notorious for criminal activities, therefore it is important to consider the motion.
“How do we arrest road users that did not do registration in Lagos state? With CCTV, a LASTMA official does not need to apprehend erring drivers directly. There should be harmonisation of data to know those who registered in Lagos state”, he said.
He however argued that there might be financial constraints to commence the implementation of the project immediately but added that the project could be financed in phases.
Also speaking on the matter, Adefunmilayo Tejuosho representing Mushin Constituency 1 said that vehicle registration is not strictly a state affair and that the Federal Government should be carried along in the process.
Another lawmaker, Setonji David however, cautioned that automation would lead to unemployment and that our level of development could not meet up with such sophistication.
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