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LASTMA Has Seen Better Days, Governor Sanwo-Olu’s Aide Laments
Fred Omotara, Lagos
The newly appointed Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa has tasked Officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) to bring back the glory days of the Agency for the good of all and sundry.
Hon. Sola Giwa stated this on Wednesday at a roundtable with Heads of Departments and Directors of the enforcement agency held at the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.
The Special Adviser who started his career as Senior Special Assistant on LASTMA in 2007 reminisced that LASTMA has seen better days as this was not the way things were in the foremost enforcement agency back in the days. He added that a lot of things have to come back and urged Officers to brace up with the great ideas that will reposition and revitalize the Traffic Management Authority.
Giwa said, “I salute what you are doing, but we need to do more as an Agency. We need to have a positive outlook and shun all our previous negativism. If we change, a lot of things will also change. Governor Sanwo-Olu as much as he loves us, wants us to make him proud. I need not remind you that Transportation and Traffic Management is not only the first pillar of the THEMES development agenda but topmost in the priority of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s administration.”
The Special Adviser further stated that he is not unaware of the challenges facing LASTMA Officers in the course of their duties and that is why he is poised to operate with them on the tripod of Welfare, Professionalism and Discipline.
The General Manager, Lagos State Traffic Management Agency, Mr. Bolaji Oreagba while assuring the Special Adviser of the unstinting support of LASTMA Officers, also disclosed that the lack of inter-agency cooperation and collaboration has hampered the effectiveness and operations of the Agency in times past. The GM noted that the destruction of road furniture and street signages by vandals is another challenge that the agency is grappling with.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Kamar Olowosago noted that even though the standard might have fallen and the ball might have been dropped, yet, it behoves on the rank and file of LASTMA to support the new Special Adviser in his task to reposition LASTMA.