By RAZAQ BAMIDELE
A public analyst, social commentator and human rights activist, Comrade Razaq Olokoba, took a critical look at the Lagos Traffic law and described it as non-draconian.
Olokoba, who is the National President, Campaign for Dignity in Governance (CDG), a coalition of over 70 of civil society organizations spoke to our correspondent on the heel of complains by some sections of the public that the law is suffocating.
According to him, it is an existing law being enforced by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for the general good of the people. “There is nothing draconian in the law. It is just a reminder of the existing law. These laws are not new laws. But the reason for the process of enforcement, if I can read the mind of the governor correctly, is that, transport and haulage play a very prominent role in the economy of the nation.
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If Lagos State houses over 50% of the Nigeria’s economy, there is no government that should not pay serious attention to movement of goods and services which is done by transportation,” Olokoba explained.
The world economy today, according to him, haulage, through rail line, airline, ship line and road network, tops the list of contributions to the world economy, pointing out that, “the tonnages of world economy today, haulage is second or third now as telecom has taken number one position while mining has taken the fourth position or so.”
Going by the economy of the nation that free transportation system would boost, Olokoba stated that, it is advisable for a governor of a state, like Sanwo-Olu to guarantee easy coming and going of people in the conduct of their businesses. “How do you expect the nation to prosper if Lagos as custodian of more than half of its economy when passengers spend three or more hours to the office and three or more hours back home?
That is a quarter of a day and waste of production time! So, Lagosians must support Lagos government in whatever it is doing to ensure that there is free flow of traffic. Law is ordinary paper if there is no enforcement. Law is ordinary law if there is no penalty for offences” the concerned analyst wondered.
Speaking further, the CDG boss asserted that, “the only solution to avoid penalty is simply not to break the law. It is as simple as that. If you don’t want to be penalised for making and receiving calls while driving, then don’t make or receive calls while behind the steering wheel. Don’t ever fall into that temptation. But sadly, we commit that offence every day of our life even with all the risk and danger involved in the habit! It is even more dangerous driving against the traffic.
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Apart from the risk of running over innocent residents, driving against traffic causes chaos.” The vocal youth leader disclosed that, Cairo in Egypt, Johannesburg in South Africa and Lagos in Nigeria are the most cosmopolitan cities in Africa where transport system should be sanitized and thus, there is heavy enforcement of the law that makes their ratings as Mega Cities non-negotiable. “The easiest way to destroy status of a mega city, cosmopolitan city or metropolitan city is when the transport system is in chaos.
“And this is being touted by the United Nation and it is also being repeatedly emphasised by the World Bank that the future business hub of Africa is Lagos.
So, Sanwo-Olu should not be thinking only for Nigeria but for the whole of Africa in whatever he does here. He should exhibit the sophistications of having it at the back of his mind that he wants to create a base for Africa an avenue for one of the biggest markets in the world. So, if that is what our aspiration is, we should support Lagos Government on the traffic law.” Olokoba urged.