LAGOS – A report went viral recently supposedly from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), indicating about 100% increase in fines payable to the state government for traffic offences, spiking reactions from a cross-section of Nigerians, who accused the agency of using this as an avalanche to enrich their staff from traffic offenders.
Even though LASTMA has debunked the report, yet motorists remain skeptical about its sincerity, judging from the high-handedness employed in treating menial traffic offences on Lagos roads. They lament the way fines are landed on them for what many say are petty traffic offences to warrant the heavy fines they are made to pay by LASTMA officials without any remorse or consideration.
Saturday INDEPENDENT correspondent, who contacted the officials of LASTMA to give clarifications on the new fines, was given a public statement made by the agency to distance itself from the purported increase, stating; “This is to inform the motoring public in Lagos to disregard the news making the rounds on new traffic offences and fines credited to Lagos State Government. The purported fake news allegedly attributed to Lagos State Ministry of Transportation and LASTMA, churned out 36 traffic offences.
“The fake traffic offences and fines ranged from ‘Driving without a Driver’s license’, with penalty as ‘impoundment of vehicle’ to ‘Driving on BRT lane’, having a fine of N70, 000. These laws are not from Lagos State Government or from LASTMA and as such, road users are advised to be wary of unscrupulous elements who churn out these traffic offences and fines.
“While the existing Lagos State Traffic Laws still hold and stand firm, we urge the motoring public to obey traffic laws at all times and dump the newly released viral fake traffic laws by a faceless group masquerading as Lagos State government or its agency.
“Lagosians and the motoring public can access the State Traffic Laws on the Ministry of Transportation page through Lagos State website with the address: www.lagosstate.gov.ng. Alternatively, the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Laws of 2018 can be searched for online; various traffic offences and penalties are therein as well.”
Motorists in the state are already lamenting about the operational mode of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA); Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), and other affiliate traffic agencies in the state, bothering on high-handedness, extortion and brutality of motorists on Lagos roads by officials of these agencies, who the public claimed to have turned themselves into monsters. The trending maxim on the lips of motorists in the state is, “the fear of LASTMA is the beginning of wisdom”.
Road users are complaining bitterly about the appalling behaviour of LASTMA, VIO and KAI officials, vis-Ã -vis their rules of engagement, as they alleged that the officials often seize vehicles without disobeying traffic laws, and in turn allegedly ask for money to get them released. LASTMA officials are also alleged to be conniving with touts to fleece motorists.
They seem to ask; is the government aware of the general complaints of bribery, extortions and unruly behaviors of these officials? Are these agencies of government now revenue yielding with daily targets?
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