February 13, 2015 – The Lagos State Government has called on the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, his counterpart in Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen and the Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC) to call officials of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency(FERMA) and Subsidy Re-investment Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) to order.
The State Government made the call at a press conference addressed by Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba, that of Transportation, Comrade Kayode Opeifa and that of Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye.
Speaking at the occasion, Ipaye said the state government is worried about activities of officials of FERMA and SURE-P in Lagos. The Commissioner for Justice, who described SURE-P officials as unknown group, added that they have no force of law to exist left alone control traffic in Lagos.
He said Lagos State is not lacking in qualified men to control traffic since there are officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC).
He said the state government is in possession of a letter written by SURE-P to the NPF requesting permission for officials of the agency to control traffic adding that the request was turned down by an Assistant Commissioner of Police in Lagos.
He did not mention name of the police officer but insisted that the letter is classified and as such copies were not made available to journalist.
He also condemned green and white painting of kerbs along Third Mainland Bridge adding that the practice worldwide is to paint highways black and white to enable the white to warn motorist during the night. He said green and white painting is against the Highway Code.
On use of billboard on Federal roads, he said that local government are empowered by the constitution to regulate outdoor advertising in Lagos State adding that the power was in turn ceded to the Lagos State Signage and Outdoor Advertising Agency(LASAA) by the 57 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas in Lagos.
“The issue of illegal placement of political adverts on the street light poles across the state can also not be wished away. The placement done without recourse to the established rules and norms of outdoor advertisement, has resulted in huge loss of revenue of agencies who have been commissioned by corporate organisations is totally illegal, condemnable and unacceptable in a civilized society”, he said.
