By Aliyu DANLADI
The Lagos State Government has called on the state residents to eschew unruly attitude on roads and condemn those perpetrating it, to promote sanity and safety of lives and property.
”Many Lagosians are guilty of improper behaviour on our roads. We all have to accept responsibility for what our state and our city has become, and we all have to accept responsibility for making it better,’’ the state Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Ladi Lawanson, said in Lagos.
Ladi spoke in Lagos on Sunday noting that commuters tolerated motorists and commercial motorcyclists popularly referred to as okada riders flouting traffic rules and regulations.
He appealed to the residents to support instead of condemn arrest or punishment of erring motorists and motorcyclists by law enforcers.
According to him, citizens’ support for traffic managers and regulatory agencies in the discharge of their duties will reduce bad behaviours on the roads.
He regretted that recklessness by motorists and okada riders endangered lives of other road users.
“We did not initially catch the person who drove that tanker on the Otedola Bridge, which was created to carry only 15 tonnes but carried 33 tonnes which, even if he had the best break, it would not still work out well.
“We did not catch him the first time he was an offender; he ran away; look at what happened,’’ he said.
The commissioner said the state government had taken some measures that required the support of citizens to achieve desired results in traffic management.
Lawanson said the government had begun deployment of technology in the enforcement of traffic rules.
He said the government was also intensifying efforts to change the bad attitudes of commercial motorcyclists and motorists through sensitisation programmes.
He said the change of attitude would require much engagement with their unions. “Enforcement and governance require a lot of engagement, it is not just telling somebody this is what I want you to do,’’ he said.
He said the operators were being encouraged to take insurance covers for themselves and their passengers to facilitate medical attention in the event of an accident.
He disclosed that the ministry would soon begin a reality show targeted at eliminating recklessness on roads. “Our reality show will start throwing up even those members of society that are not okada riders but who are equally offenders. We should all take responsibility for making our society the way we want it to be,’’ he said.
