Ayodele Olalere
Nigeria’s foremost traffic road, Lagos Traffic Radio, 96.1fm, on Tuesday inaugurated its first Lagos Traffic Road, LTR, Live Report Motorcycles, to ease it’s operation of giving timely traffic situation across the state.
The programme was a pilot scheme, designed to deliver quick on-the-spot reports of traffic in all parts of Lagos.
While inaugurating the scheme at the premises or Lagos Traffic Road corporate office, Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso commended management of Traffic Road for the initiative, adding it would enhance speedy traffic reportage and help Lagosians plan their movements ahead.
He added transportation, being the first pillar of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s T.H.E.M.E.S agenda, deserves creativity from stakeholders as it would assist the state government in delivering it’s mandates of traffic free Lagos.
“I was excited with the creativity this scheme has brought. I want to thank the management for thinking about this. Transportation is the first pillar of the THEMES agenda. I am looking forward to the day everything we do about transportation is driven by technology. This creativity would help to fast track movements to traffic scenes” Omotoso said.
“We are looking forward to the day that we are going to be reporting from the skies. I am also looking forward to the day that every thing that we do about transportation is driven by technology.
“It high time we got this kind of thing all over Lagos; the drone monitoring traffic and everything. All I want to assure you is that that first pillar of the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda is so important that whatever idea anyone brings that can ease transportation in Lagos and make us look forward like all other big cities in the world, Mr. Governor is ready to accept such ideas.
He applauded the agency’s initiative, saying “the symbolism of it is that they are not just sitting down there, they are thinking about how to improve what they are doing.”
“They are going to fasten the movement of our Traffic Radio officials to accidents and every other thing disturbing traffic, so that people can get accurate information. There is nothing you spend on information management and gathering that is too much.
“I see this as a first step. It will get to a stage that Traffic Radio will acquire its own helicopter and get its officers all over the place to do their job based on the fastest technology.
“It will get to a time that we are going to be reporting from everywhere, because there is nothing left for us; the population is there, the traffic is there. So everything is challenging us, challenging our creativity, and ability to manage the little resources that we have.
“You are not looking at the this as just mere inauguration of motorcycles but the symbolism behind it; that it’s going to ease reporting, and enhance the fact that of all the things that we do, either in government or private affairs, information is key. if you don’t have information, you are dead. You need to know where you are going to, you need to know what has happened where you are coming from.
He however urged the management of the Radio “not to rest on their oars” but rather “continue to think on your feet on how to do better as a Radio station.”
The General Manager, Traffic Radio, Mr. Tayo Akanle, in his remark, said the initiative was borne out of the occurrence of incidents on highways coupled with little or no comprehensive live reports, adding the pilot scheme was designed to change the travel experience of commuters “as they usually under-go harrowing experiences whenever there is a major incident on the road.”
“These motorcycles would aid our operations by allowing us to arrive timely at the particular incident spots towards providing on-the-spot live and accurate reports that would assist commuters make informed decisions especially knowing the root cause of the traffic gridlock they are experiencing at that particular time.
“Furthermore, the reports disseminated would now be more professional, comprehensive, real time and accurate, as it would be handled by trained journalists from the Station. The information will now be shared through the airwaves and on our ever increasing social media platforms for a wider reach.
“You will all agree with me that the speed and manoeuvring ability of these motorcycles would be apt for this operation, just as it is a clear departure from the past where our reporters arrive late at these incident spots thereby hindering the provision of live and accurate reports for commuters,” he said.
“It can also be used as a veritable database for future projections on traffic management and transportation systems design for the State.
The whole idea however, is inspired by the need to enhance road traffic movement and add value to the travel experience of motorists and commuters in Lagos State,” Akanle added.
The State’s Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Oluseyi Wenu, commended the management for the initiative, stating that the importance of such on-the-spot reporting cannot be over emphasized.
In his contribution, the General Manager, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Engr. Olajide Oduyoye, said the initiative is an improvement on the profile of traffic management in the State.
The Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos, Mr Olusegun Ogungbemide, represented by Mrs. Olabisi Sonusi, said the development is timely and highly commendable, particularly with the congestion of traffic during the “ember months”, the 4th quarter of the year.
According to him, the information accruing from such scheme will assist commuters to make informed decision based on traffic update, adding that it will widely assist Lagosians during the lingering torrential rainfall.