The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority is a Lagos State-owned agency under the Ministry of Transportation. The agency was established on the 15th of July, 2000 to transform the state transportation system to ensure free flow of traffic in the state and also reduce road accidents.
While Lagosians commend the efforts of the agency in curbing the traffic imbroglio in the city of excellence, the agency needs a regular reoriententation of its officers for effective traffic control.
Several motorists have complained about the excesses of the officers and lack of discretion in traffic control skills.
Traffic control officers are expected to apply a high level of intellectual discretion when performing their duties but reports from some parts of Lagos metropolis negate this characteristic behavior of the officers.
According to Abdulwahab, a driver who plies Agege-Ishaga route, LASTMA officers intentionally create traffic bottlenecks at the Fagba junction (in connivance with the police) in order to exploit drivers. Abdulwahab explained that from the Fagba bus stop, before the Fagba junction, LASTMA officers create a double lane and give preference to motorists who 'settle' them rather than make a lane free for vehicles heading towards Ishaga.
Another private driver on the same route says the early morning traffic congestion at the Fagba junction ought not to be if the LASTMA officers use discretion to pass more vehicles during the peak period rather than resorting to traffic lights which allows only very few vehicles on the Fagba-Agege route.
A banker, Modupe, who works on Victoria Island shares similar experience. According to her, LASTMA officers need to use manual traffic control during the peak periods to pass more vehicles on the heavy lanes while passing less vehicles on the light traffic lanes. Depending on the traffic light during peak periods of vehicular movement should be corrected.
The LASTMA agency's objective of ensuring easy flow of vehicular movement as well as enforcing adherence to traffic laws will be justified if a lot of discretion in carrying out these duties are applied to the job.
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