LASTMA To Capture Traffic Infractions With 3D Cameras, Video Footages- Engr Olajide Oduyoye

Middle: Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwoolu, inspecting the Guard of Honour by LASTMA officers, Right: Engr. Olajide Oduyoye, LASTMA GM/CEO

Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, will soon deploy full fledged hi technology which will require very minimal human interaction, not as a consequence of covid-19 pandemic, but to enable every traffic infraction be captured as its actually being committed while necessary penalty in terms of fine and if required appearance in the temple of justice, the offending driver would be promptly intimated.

This technology will also be deployed with a 3D camera which will capture the offense, the vehicle details of the offender, and equally replicate the details and automatically dispatch to the phone of the offender with picture and video footage and simultaneusly generate a copy for the data base station at LASTMA control office, for record purposes and necessary follow up.

The LASTMA General Manager, made the disclosure on a radio talk show named the corridors, at Lagos Talks 91.3fm.

He explained that with all the evidences of what transpired at the scene of the infraction in electronic format available to erring driver, issue of witch hunting, and travesty of justice would be eliminated and the process of justice administration would be made less encumbered as the offender would no more be in darkness as to the issues at stake and the probable consequence whether a fine or community service as it might pleases the judge and according to the statutes.

**BRT buses, and pssenger on queue. Yellow buses also queue to pick passengers**

The GM said LASTMA does not prescribes penalty for traffic infraction but the laws of Lagos state does and this is often well spelt out at the court of law where defense of the accused would be weighed at a court of competent jurisdiction and the judge makes pronouncement appropriately.

The new LASTMA helmsman whose one year in office is about three months away, debunked the wild rumour spreading mostly on the social media that LASTMA operatives are not legally empowered to effect arrest but to solely ensure smooth flow of traffic. He described the rumour as a lie from the pit of hell.

He advised motorists to comply with road traffic regulations which will to a large extent reduces altercations between them and the traffic officials. It will also enable every one to make the best use of their precious time on issue of more benefit to their mission for living home.

Oduyoye also reminded his listeners and by extension Lagosians that the law of the covid-19 safety protocols in Lagos State, empowers LASTMA officials to effect arrest of anyone treating the safety protocol with disdain by not wearing face mask especially within the public space. Saying LASTMA operatives are empowered to enforce the use of face masks by commuters and the drivers

He further explained that for private cars and commercial hired vehicles, LASTMA officials are empowered to enforce the use of face mask. Saying only when it is established that members of the same family are in the car would such vehicle be absolved. But for hired car service, both the driver and the passengers he said, are under obligation to wear face mask or else they would be pitching themselves against the law of Lagos State. And LASTMA operatives could accost them to do the needful.

**Cross section of the newly recruited 1017 traffic officers on parade**

He attributed the downward trend in the number of newly infected by the corona virus to the concerted efforts of all the state government’s apparatus towards creating awareness, educating and enforcement of basic precautionary measures to mitigate the spread.

He however added that his men had been tutored to do more persuasion with the people in order to help Lagosians understand that the scourge is real and to be persuaded to voluntarily comply with the basic covid-19 safety protocols, i.e. use of face mask, hand washing hygiene and the use of hand sanitizer.

Also, the LASTMA CEO acknowledged there was manpower challenge but noted that the situation had been addressed by the state government with an addition of 1017 officers that will soon be commissioned.

On the high visibility of street urchins at some flash points in the state and the seemingly alliance with LASTMA operatives in such points which have been described as worrisome, Oduyoye allayed the peoples fears. He said the seemingly alliance was a strategy to protect the lives of officers in such flash point areas on the occasion of threat to their lives from another source.

He however agreed that the excesses of officers in such areas will also be given more than the usual attention at the management level of the traffic management authorirty so at to put paid to any untoward conduct of the public servants managing the traffic.

The GM appealed to members of the public especially drivers to be more civil and gentlemanly in relating with the traffic officers on the road reminding them that respects is said to be reciprocal. And actions and reactions scientists says its equal but opposite.

Olajide Oduyoye also acknowledged some of the extenuating factors that often made some drivers aggressive even where there was no provocation by citing the often long delays which often warranted queueing for days to lift fuel. Simple correction he noted could trigger violent reaction hence, he called on concerned authorities at the Apapa area of the state to improve on their processes so as to freeing the area of traffic logjam.

To a caller who complained about lack of the observance of physical distancing and not wearing of face mask in the Rapid Bus Transit, BRT scheme, Engr Oduyoye said the organistion had been granted 60% load factor when its management complained of inability to break even with the 40% load factor initially prescribed by the government.

On the seemingly disregard for the use of face mask on board the bus, Oduyoye promised to formally reach the operators of the scheme, Primero, to ensure the observation earns its management attention and a means of redressing the perceived oversight, fashion out without further delay sa the covid-19 pandemic Is real and still with us and no stone should be left unturned to mitigate its spread and ultimately eliminate coronavirus