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Last Updated: Friday, November 12th, 2004 HOME | Previous Page
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Lagos govt blames police for not curbing FERMA activities
By Lekan Sanni
Correspondent, LAgos
The Police have been blamed for its failure to prevent the breakdown of law and order orchestrated by officials
of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in Marina on Monday.
Commissioner for Transportation, Muiz Banire, reacting to the recent mayhem disclosed that he had alerted the police
of plans by some street urchins who called themselves FERMA officials to invade the CMS motor park. Banire said
that the police should take full responsibility for the mayhem during which sixty-nine vehicles were destroyed
and on no less than 20 persons were injured, noting that the police usually turned blind eye to their activities.
The commissioner noted that Works Minister, Adeseye Ogunlewe had said many times that FERMA is restricted mainly
to road maintenance and drains clearance.
He said the refusal of FERMA to abide by the directive of the minister is an indication that he has lost control
and called for urgent steps to redress the situation.
He said section 7, item 1(e) of the fourth schedule of the 1999 constitution put establishment, maintenance and
regulation of, motor parks and public conveniences under state governments.
He also reminded that a federal high court in Lagos recently restrained the agents of the federal government from
interfering in the administration of motor parks in the state.
Meanwhile, protests against extortions by Lagos operatives of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) continued
on Thursday when 17 motorists were �arrested'' and taken to the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, unit of the agency
on allegations of flouting traffic ``regulations''.
One of the victims, Mr Pierre Penaud, a French construction firm worker, said he was told to pay N10,000 for allegedly
obstructing traffic when he was forced to stop behind another vehicle which was stopped by the same FERMA officials.
Assistant Director, FERMA's National Theatre Unit, Mr Tunde Balogun, said that erring drivers were arrested either
for illegal parking, or for not using seat belts.
He added that some others were arrested for making illegal U-turns and for
obstructing traffic on federal highways in the state.
Although Balogun said he did not know the fines for the various``offences'', it was learnt that the ``culprits''
were asked to pay charges ranging from N5,000 to N10,000.
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