There is hardly any visitor reliving his or her experience in the city of aquatic splendor without mentioning the traffic. It signposts the hustle and bustle that makes the state the commercial city of West Africa.
Nevertheless, the Lagos State government is always proactive in looking for enduring solutions to ease movement by making sure that there is no waste of man hours, which affects productivity and the larger economy of the state.
As part of efforts to enhance traffic safety and emergency response mechanisms, the government has unveiled a rebranded Special Traffic Mayor (STM) initiative for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) .
The unveiling had the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr. Sola Giwa, the state Head of Service, Mr. Olabode Agoro and the body of Permanent Secretaries, who are key stakeholders in the visionary programme in attendance.
While the rebranding of the STM initiative symbolises the state government’s unwavering commitment to fostering robust partnerships in addressing Lagos dynamic traffic challenges, the initiative is also designed to complement the efforts of LASTMA officers by enhancing traffic management and emergency intervention across the state.
At the occasion, Giwa highlighted the integral role of public participation in traffic governance. ‘This rebranding heralds a renewed commitment to empower citizens and stakeholders to actively contribute to road safety and orderliness. The Special Traffic Mayors will now play a pivotal role in advancing out transportation objectives and fostering a culture of collaboration’, he stated.
No better time than now to revamp an initiative that will address the peculiarities of Lagos traffic ecosystem by harmonising public and private sector efforts to mitigate congestion and bolster emergency responsiveness.
The state Ministry of Transportation and LASTMA sprung into action by inducting and decorating senior civil servants as Special Traffic Mayors. So far, the Solicitor -General and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Mr. Hameed Oyenuga; Permanent Secretary/ Surveyor-General, Ayokunnu Adesina, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Mobolaji Daba; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Oluyemi Kalesanwo; and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Mr. Sesan Ogundeko have been enlisted .
The latest Special Traffic Mayor to be inducted and decorated is the Permanent Secretary, Office of Infrastructure, Engr. Lateef Somide. At the ceremony, Somide described his induction as a welcome development to improve vehicular movement and traffic management in the state. He poured encomium on the recent activities of LASTMA stating that feedback from Lagosians has changed on the public perception of the agency.
Somide applauded the collaborative efforts of all players on roads and traffic management in the state, just as he enjoined all workers to keep doing their best for Lagos to be the state to emulate. ‘Recent feedback from the public indicates the good work of the agency since Olalekan Bakare-Oki took over. I am therefore pleading with us all to work together with LASTMA. As you all know, no one can clap with one hand, we all have to synergise to ensure that the ‘T’ in “Traffic Management” pillar in Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s development agenda is realised’, he said.
The Director of LASTMA Traffic Advocacy and Special Traffic Mayor, Mr. Jimi Awoyemi, who inducted and decorated Somide, urged the new Traffic Mayor to assist in promoting and delivering on good traffic flow in the State.
He noted that, according to the request of the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Seun Osiyemi, and consequent adoption by the Body of Permanent Secretaries in the state for the induction of all Permanent Secretaries as Special Traffic Mayors, the ceremony was important to ensure Somide also joined the call for smooth traffic management in Lagos.
Osiyemi stressed that each Mayor has been equipped with uniforms and materials to guide them on this new collaboration, and also make it easy to get to senior officers of the agency when the need arises at any point of traffic gridlocks.
