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By Lukman Olabiyi
The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, has restated the state government’s commitment to continue to ease traffic in the state.
He said Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has gradually transitioned from traffic management to incident management, recording landmark achievements in traffic control strategies.
Giwa stated this at the LASTMA Headquarters in Oshodi, during a press briefing organised to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the agency.
He stated that LASTMA had, in the last two decades, provided vibrant and resourceful service, adding that the agency has improved its services through data and digital transformation.
Highlighting the various areas of transformation in the transport and traffic management sectors, Giwa stated that the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of LASTMA is epochal with institutional milestones and a renewed affirmation of an unwavering commitment to public service excellence in the ever-evolving terrain of traffic management.
“This epochal occasion of our Silver Jubilee transcends ceremonial festivities; it is an opportunity for solemn retrospection, thoughtful acknowledgement of institutional milestones, and a renewed affirmation of our unwavering commitment to public service excellence in the ever-evolving terrain of traffic management.
“It was the visionary leadership of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, then as the governor of Lagos State, now the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that LASTMA was founded as a critical response to the deeply entrenched, dysfunctional, and deplorable traffic challenges that once beleaguered Lagos as a metropolitan city.
“Prior to its establishment, Lagos, Africa’s most densely populated urban nexus, wrestled with the gridlock of an unregulated vehicular system, an uncoordinated and drab enforcement mechanism, and the palpable absence of a cohesive traffic control regime.
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“But today, 25 years on, LASTMA has evolved into a formidable force within the ecosystem of urban transportation, progressively improving commuting time, fostering road safety, enhancing enforcement protocols, and championing transportation reforms that have received both national and international acclaim.
“Today, LASTMA proudly stands tall, bolstered by a workforce exceeding 4,000 dedicated operatives, strategically deployed across Lagos to ensure traffic flow, dislodge congestion, respond to emergencies, and enforce extant road traffic laws.
“I assert with conviction that LASTMA is no longer merely an intervention agency—it is a reference model for traffic management, emulated across Nigeria and studied internationally.”
He mentioned the key areas where the agency has excelled, including digital transformation and technological innovation, capacity enhancement and professional development, excellence in emergency response and incident management, public enlightenment and advocacy engagement, inter-agency synergy and regulatory harmonisation, and infrastructure expansion and operational visibility, among others.
In his remarks, General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, said the progress made by LASTMA in the last 25 years is evident in its various activities.
He stated further that the agency is driven by the conscious efforts of its leadership in conjunction with the support of the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation.
“The use of the Traffic Management System (TMS) and other digital devices has really helped in reducing traffic crises and encumbrances in Lagos State.
“We will continue to offer our best to ensure that Lagos State is safe for motorists,” the LASTMA boss said.
