The Lagos State Government has sacked five officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, for various forms of offenses ranging from extortion, harassment and violation of Lagos State Public Service Rules.

General Manager, LASTMA, Olawale Musa disclosed this on Thursday, saying that the agency recommended five of the unruly officials for dismissal and demote 14 others, adding that 15 others were issued letters of warning, while three were exonerated after careful investigation.

“The affected officers appeared in the month of April before the Personal Management Board (discipline) to defend and make presentation on various actions that bothered on indiscipline against them,” the agency said. Besides, Musa condemned incessant attacks of traffic officials by motorists, especially commercial drivers, saying the officials were on the roads to ensure motorists and commuters get to their destinations without stress and discomfort.

“It was disheartening, callous and barbaric seeing a LASTMA official, Olanrewaju Yusuf stabbed on duty at Onipanu last week Wednesday while performing a lawful duty, by a driver of commercial yellow bus with registration number EPE 714 XP for picking passengers at undesignated place and conductor hanging at the door. I like to use this medium to call on motorists to always report erring officials to the agency and not adopt self help as anybody caught attacking officials of the agency would face full wrath of the law,” Musa said.

He also appealed to motorists plying routes where major construction works were ongoing to bear with the state government and comply with traffic directive, saying concerted efforts have been put in place to deliver the projects on schedule. Musa, who spoke after monitoring flow of traffic along Lagos-Abeokuta and Apapa- Oshodi Expressway, said the road projects across the State were being implemented by the State Government to ultimately achieve free flow of traffic within the metropolis, and thereby boost economy and commerce.

The State Government is currently working on major road projects including Lagos – Abeokuta Expressway, Oshodi- Apapa Expressway, Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road, Agege Pen Cinema, among other massive roads reconstruction across the State. Musa said necessary engineering research and traffic count had been done before the construction of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, just as he dispelled insinuation that the project would make the road to be smaller in length. “Let me appeal to motorists plying the routes where construction activities are ongoing to bear with us and comply with instruction by traffic personnel on the roads.

The projects will ultimately contribute to free flow of traffic as well as boost economy and commerce. “Also, the construction of the BRT corridor along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway will not narrow the road size as being anticipated by some motorists, but it would rather enhance the road capacity to accommodate more vehicles and improve free flow of traffic at completion,” Musa said.

Specifically, the LASTMA boss appealed to members of the public using roads under construction to exercise patience in the meantime, adding that the projects, upon completion, would make traffic congestion being experienced on the roads to become a thing of the past. While assuring that motorists and commuters would soon heave a sigh of relief, Musa urged them to continue to obey traffic rules and regulations and cooperate with the LASTMA officials who, according to him, are on the road to ensure free flow of traffic.

He commended motorists for their patience and perseverance since the commencement of the projects, and appealed to them to bear with the government as the road construction works and diversions were designed to ensure the safety of motorists and free flow of traffic. “All the measures put in place to control traffic are in the interest of public and the State Government is doing its best to ensure that the projects are completed within the stipulated period,” he said.