Daily Independent Online.
*
Monday, June 14, 2004.
Lagos residents call for regulation of
vehicular movements
By Victor Ebimomi
Reporter, Lagos
Following the frustrating hold-ups that usually occur
whenever there is rainfall, particularly on the major roads designated as
federal, residents of Lagos have called for the regulation of vehicles that ply
the roads on daily basis to avoid the ugly scenario.
They have also demanded that the state traffic
control outfit known as Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA)
should be given a free hand to operate in every part of the state.
A cross-section of the people who expressed their
minds to Daily Independent after the heavy downpour on Monday that led to chaotic
traffic in which many commuters
had to resort to trekking to their deferent destinations, argued that it was only through the regulation
of the number of vehicles permitted to be on the road at any particular day as
well as the involvement of LASTMA that can bring traffic sanity to the state.
According to them, the chaotic traffic situation in
the state during this rainy season is more pronounced in the federal roads than
any other roads and as such there was the need for enforcement agency such as
LASTMA to deal with the situation.
For instance Mr. Eniola Olaosebikan, a marketer,
suggested that there should be a restriction based on even and odd number
system for private vehicles while commercial ones should be given a free hand
to operate in the interest of the masses. This according to him would go a long
way to ease the traffic congestion that has become a phenomenon in the state. “
I think the way out is for the government to evolve a system whereby based on
number certain vehicles will not be free to come out at a specific day”.
The view of Mrs. Patricia Okon, a trader, aligns with
that of Olaosebikan. She agreed that there were too many vehicles in Lagos
state and as such there was the need for strict regulation to check the danger
they posed to traffic. She also suggested that heavy-duty vehicles such as
tankers, trucks and trailers should be restricted to night movement.
Her words: “I am a car owner, but if vehicle
movement is to be regulated I will abide by it because my experience these few
days shows that it can be hellish going out with your car because of
hold-up”.
Mr. Monday Adetola, a company executive however did
not buy the idea of restriction but situated the problem in the need for
effective traffic control mechanism. According to him, “ let the
government put its traffic control mechanism in order and let LASTMA be in
every major roads in the state irrespective of whether it is federal or
state”. To him once this is done traffic congestion would be a thing of
the past. He adds: “ See, this LASTMA people are the most effective
traffic controllers we have ever had in this country”.
Miss Patricia located the problem of traffic congestion
in the state to the impatience of Lagos motorists and absence of traffic
officers at the appropriate point, noting that now more than before the traffic
rules needed be enforced to the letter.
“ Especially during this rainy season, the
traffic rules should be well enforced to avoid unnecessary traffic confusion by
impatient drivers. LASTMA, KAI and other traffic officers should be fully
activated to face the challenges”, she said.
Commenting on the ban placed on LASTMA and KAI not operate
in the federal roads, she warned politicians to stop playing politics at the
expense of human lives.
