PRESS RELEASE
LAMATA boss seeks
safety command centre
The Managing Director, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) has called for an apex body that will be responsible for the safety issues in the country.
He made the call when the Lagos State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Jonas Agwu paid a courtesy visit to LAMATA.
“My observation is that no agency is driving safety. Everyone is doing safety based on his or limited understanding of what is safety. We should have a central body driving safety. The absence of such body has led to avoidable loss of lives; yet there is no cost that we can place on a life that is lost to deficient safety procedure.”
He said this has been so because safety had not been made issue, adding “we pay more attention to road construction without the necessary safety requirements. We shy away from investing in safety. To me safety costs money but it at the same time saves money and lives.” |
L-R: Lagos State Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Commissioner, Mr. Jonas Agwu, Managing Director, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola and Director, Business System, LAMATA, Mrs. Olurinu Jose during the visit of the Sector Commander to LAMATA. Behind are Commander Abdullahi and Technical Advisor, Public Transport/Traffic Management, LAMATA, Engr. Olugbenga Dairo.
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He said Lagos State Government was moving up in the area of safety, referring to current efforts to standardise road signs and traffic regulations to international standard as well as adopt a strategic transport master plan.
Dr. Mobereola said part of the efforts to institute standard in safety was the establishment of driving school to retool drivers on driving culture and etiquettes on the road, saying “this will no doubt change the way we drive in Lagos and guarantee drastic reduction of road accidents.”
On his part, the Lagos State Sector Commander, Mr. Agwu said he was in LAMATA to explore areas of cooperation with the organisation, particularly in ensuring safety in the operations of the BRT system.
Describing the BRT system as a novelty, Mr. Agwu listed speed, seat belt violation and drink drive as three issue underpinning safety on our roads and stressed the need for constant training of road users.
He described the LAMATA team as forward looking saying if through your initiatives in the transport sector, “Lagos ends up being the best, other states in the federation would have no choice but to follow.”
Meanwhile, Lagos residents have commended the Lagos State Government for providing free bus services during the last end of Ramadan celebration.
Close to 300,000 passengers were carried free during the exercise that lasted between 6.15 am and 10.00 pm.
The exercise gave Lagosians, once more, the opportunity to benefit from one of the people-oriented initiatives of the government in ensuring a happy and memorable celebration for her residents and visitors alike as there were no restrictions on carriage.
Buses provided for the service were pasted with stickers with the inscription ‘’Ramada Free Ride Courtesy Lagos State Government.” Beneficiaries described the government gesture as laudable.
Commending the exercise, a worshipper at the Eid praying ground at Ile Zik, Mr. Abdulfatah Seriki described the government gesture as unparalleled in the history of the state adding “Governor Fashola has shown the world that something good can still come out of Nigeria. He is a focused Governor.”
To Mrs. Sherifat Ibrahim, “this is unprecedented in since we have been celebrating Ramadan. We pray that God will continue to give him wisdom to continue to govern the state very well and also do what the citizens want.”
For more information, please contact:
Kolawole Ojelabi
External Relations Specialist
Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA)
Tel: 01-2792778-82 Ext. 200, 01-7905343; Fax 01-2792783
Mobile: +2348038556452
Email: kojelabi@lamata-ng.com; kolawoleojelabi@gmail.com
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