By Olamilekan FAWAS
The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday said it would review the Lagos State Traffic Law, following the June 28 tanker explosion which claimed lives in the state.
This move followed a motion moved by 14 lawmakers headed by the Majority Leader, Mr Sanai Agunbiade, on the floor of the House on the incident which happened on Otedola Bridge, at Ojodu Berger in Lagos.
The House, which frowned at the lack of enforcement of traffic laws, recklessness of articulated vehicle drivers and poor condition of most of the trucks, said no effort would be spared to end incessant tanker hazards.
Reading the motion titled “Call to Address Incessant Tankers, Trailers and Commercial Buses’ Accidents in Lagos’’ Agunbiade said that except those stated in the traffic law, no trailer or tanker nor mass transit bus should enter or ply Lagos roads between 6 a.m and 9 p.m .
“The House observed that the fire incident around Otedola Estate on June 28, led to avoidable deaths of several people and destroyed many properties.
“The House is aware that motorists cause most of the various accidents we have on our roads as a result of their disrespect for traffic laws, careless driving, speeding; uncertified drivers and drunk driving.
“The House observes that most drivers don’t collect relevant documents given to them after their vehicles have been certified to be road worthy.
“The House calls on Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode to direct the Commissioner for Transport, Mr Ladi Lawanson, to intensity efforts at implementing the 2018 Amended Traffic Law in the state,” he said.
The majority leader also added that the commissioner for transport should ensure that all trailers and tankers with their drivers obtain genuine insurance and other relevant documents.
Agunbiade also added that the House was concerned about reckless parking of heavy duty vehicles on bridges not minding the danger.
The lawmaker called on Ambode to expedite work on repositioning existing trailer parks as well as creating additional ones as well as ensuring enforcement.
He added: “The House calls on the state’s Chief Judge, Mrs Funmilayo Oke, to provide more mobile courts that will ensure speedy trials for offenders, who will not respect traffic law.
“The House calls on the Minister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, to expedite work on the ongoing rail transport to ease transportation. This House urges the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, to repair bridges in Lagos State.”
He commended Ambode for the restriction order given to heavy duty vehicles and encouraged the state’s transport agencies to ensure they issue certificates of road worthiness to articulated vehicles within the next 30 days.
The lawmakers urged the state government to sanction any long vehicle owner, who failed to obtain necessary papers and ensure road worthiness of their vehicles.
The House called on Ambode to direct Lawanson to provide regulation for the type of vehicles that would ply Lagos roads based on their year of purchase.
The lawmakers took turns to express dissatisfaction about the hazard caused be articulated vehicle drivers in the state.
The Speaker of the House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, who said that the motion was apt, added that the commissioner for transport should engage with insurance companies for the insurance of heavy duty vehicles.
Obasa said: “We all know that some of the papers most drivers have are fake. We should work to ensure that these vehicles possess relevant documents.
“We should look at our traffic law, if it has some gray areas, to reduce unnecessary loss of lives and property.
“Our traffic law should be reviewed to reduce loss of lives on our roads. If the Otedola Bridge incident had happened at night, the casualty would have been minimal,” said.
The Speaker, after a voice vote on the motion, directed the Clerk of the House, Mr Azeez Sanni, to communicate the resolution of the House to Gov. Ambode.
Meanwhile, the House also set up an eight-man committee for the mid-term review of the state’s 2018 Budget of Ministries, Departments and Parastatal Agencies.
The committee is to be headed by Mr Gbolahan Yishawu, the Chairman, House Ad hoc Committee on Budget and Economic Planning.
Other members of the committee are Messr Abiodun Tobun, Yinka Ogundimu, Jude Idimogu, Bisi Yusuff, Moshood Oshun, Nurudeen Saka-Solaja and Mrs Adefunmilayo Tejuosho.
The committee was directed to submit its report in two weeks.
