The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has impounded 9,370 vehicles from January 2024 to June 2024 for alleged traffic violations.
This information was confirmed by the general manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, during a meeting with key stakeholders in the State’s transportation sector.
Bakare-Oki detailed that out of the impounded vehicles, 3,034 were private vehicles, which included 1,849 cars, 549 buses, and 636 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs). He also reported that there were 256 casualties during this period.
He urged the public, especially motorists, to follow traffic rules and respect traffic managers. “In the last six months, it has been a mix of good, bad, and ugly, but we have managed to overcome many challenges, particularly in training and retraining our personnel,” Bakare-Oki said.
He mentioned that LASTMA had successfully trained 2,000 of its staff, both internally and externally. “We have successfully trained 2,000 of our staff, both internally and externally,” he stated. He noted that over 900 personnel were trained in collaboration with the Nigerian Police Force, Lagos State Command, and more than 1,200 traffic officers received training from three different consultants on leadership skills, emotional intelligence, customer care, and incident management.
Bakare-Oki added, “We are undertaking these initiatives to improve our service delivery to Lagos residents. LASTMA aims to rebuild public confidence, particularly in public relations.” He announced that LASTMA’s call center would soon be launched and would be toll-free, accommodating English, Yoruba, and Pidgin English to facilitate feedback.
Regarding enforcement, Bakare-Oki highlighted LASTMA’s efforts in clearing the Apapa Port area and other locations. “Apart from the Apapa corridor and Iyana-Ipaja, we also cleared areas like Idumota, Apogbon, CMS, and the Lekki-Ajah axis, improving the level of orderliness in these areas. We have made significant strides across the five divisions in Lagos in terms of enforcement, and this effort is ongoing,” he said.
He concluded by stating that LASTMA was committed to improving travel time for Lagos residents, especially during peak periods. “We are committed to improving travel time for Lagos residents, especially during peak periods,” he said.
He also mentioned that LASTMA was taking all necessary measures to enhance traffic management in the state, including the deployment of over 2,000 traffic equipment.
