Encomium
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Monday met with the leadership of the State branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) on ways of ensuring security and safety in terms of activities of the transporters at the various motor parks and roads in the state.
The Governor, who spoke at the Banquet Hall of the Lagos House, Ikeja said the meeting became necessary because of some developments at the last State Security Council meeting the details of which was provided by the security chiefs at the meeting.
He said while it is the primary responsibility of government to ensure the protection of life and property, government alone cannot carry it out, as it requires the support of the populace to make the State safe and accident-free for the people to live which is why everybody must be involved in the process.
He however said the task would only be halfway done if government performs its task of protecting life and property, while the citizens themselves must be up and doing in terms of securing themselves and their immediate environment.
He added that the state has received reports from the security agencies on the way forward and has finished the analysis of the reports which would be shared at the meeting on how to improve themselves and their business operations.
The Governor also drew attention to the careless manner at which operators of articulated vehicles are operating the vehicles, including container carrying trucks, adding that in the process many people have been killed while roads have been shut down without any justifiable reason.
He insisted that the operators of the articulated vehicles could very well do business with a much more human face instead of creating inconveniences on the roads for people who have no businesses with such vehicles.
He reminded them that the containers cannot ordinarily fall off the trucks because they usually come with bolts and fasteners which usually hold them in place, adding that the drivers of such trucks need to be extra careful in their conduct behind the wheels.
He reiterated that the present administration in Lagos is committed to the preservation of the life of the people and if it does not get the desired cooperation from the operators, it will not hesitate to stop them from operating on the roads in the state.
He recalled an incident in 2008 when, just by the whiskers, he missed being the victim of a petrol tanker explosion, adding that such disasters can happen to anyone irrespective of the social standing of such a person.
He said with regards to the provision of the State Traffic Law which prescribes that the articulated vehicles can only ply the road at specific times of the day; the articulated vehicles still drive recklessly at the late hours.
He cited the instances of several street lights that have been damaged by reckless articulated vehicle drivers in the metropolis, forcing the state to redesign the street lights with a view to preventing the damages by the trucks.
He urged owners of the trucks to counsel their drivers on the need to show moderation in their driving while the drivers must also talk to themselves on the fact that the brakes that they have put so much trust in to control a vehicle are just mechanical devices.
The Governor said it would be a thing of joy if the state could observe a day free of accident through careful by driving all those who ply the roads especially articulated vehicle operators.
He reminded them that water transportation and air transportation are also forms of transportation that does not record the level of carnage that is experienced on the roads due to extra care.
The meeting was attended by members of the State Executive Council including the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ade Ipaye, Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Kayode Opeifa, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Mr Tunde Sobulo, Assistant Director of Operations at the Department of State Security (DSS), Chairman of the NURTW, Mr Tajudeen Agbede and leaders of the union in the state.
SIGNED:
HAKEEM BELLO
SPECIAL ADVISER TO H.E ON MEDIA
JUNE 9, 2014
