₦airaland Forum

[size=14pt]Lagos Traffic Law: Transporters meet govt Monday[/size]

August 5, 2012 by Leke Baiyewu

Transporters in Lagos State are to meet with the state government over the new traffic law which bars the National Union of Road Transport Workers from collecting tolls from public car parks and bus stops, among other restrictions on Monday (tomorrow).

The state Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, who disclosed last Friday, had said the union should carry out its daily operations from its office, like other unions.

He explained that the step was based on the report by the Justice Dolapo Akinsanya-led panel in 2008 on the functions of the NURTW.

Opeifa had said, “The report, which was given by the panel, comprises what Lagosians have been saying about the activities of the union: fighting and misuse of parks, collecting money on the roads indiscriminately, stopping passengers, abusing alcohol, among others.”

But, a former Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Lagos State Chapter, Bishop Law Edema, who spoke to our correspondent on the telephone on Saturday, said even though he had yet to be briefed about the development, the new state law could not stand.

He said, “What I know is that the Federal Government established the two transport unions, National Union of Road Transport Workers and RTEAN. Whichever law a state makes that is against the federal law will not stand. The state law must bow to the federal law.

The state Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers, Lagos State, Mr. Tajudeen Agbede, told SUNDAY PUNCH that he would keep mum on the issue until after a meeting with Opeifa on Monday.

He said, “We have informed the commissioner on our stand and we are meeting him on Monday. Whatever decision we reach will be made known to the public.”

The founder of Oodu’a Peoples Congress, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, however, lauded the government over the new policy, which he said was long overdue to check the menace of transporters in the state.

He said, “The law is right enough and very much in order. If Lagos State does not make laws that will check the menace of the transporters, its economy will just collapse. There is still more to do on the Okada (commercial motorcycles); there should be further checks on their operations because the menace it also constitutes is worrisome.”

Speaking on the barring of the NURTW officials who collect tolls from motorists, he added, “Why do people want to reap where they did not sow? If you ask Lagosians of their reaction to this, 80 to 90 per cent of them will say the step is in order.”

http://www.punchng.com/news/lagos-traffic-law-transporters-meet-govt-monday/

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The Range Rover has been sold. On sale now 1994 Daewoo Racer https://www.nairaland.com/999730/sale-1994-daewoo-racer . Still to come Mercedes Benz GL class and another Range Rover.

If you'd like to read the story of the Dantata/Dangote dynasty, find out how they made their money and see pictures of members of the dynasty (Al-Hassan Dantata, Aminu Dantata, Abdulkadir Sanusi Dantata, Aliko Dangote, Tajudeen Dantata, Sayyu Dantata, etc) click here https://www.nairaland.com/891985/dantata-dangote-story-how-create

basher: You are correct there but there is something obscene about Dangote's and Nigeria.

In USA their GDP (purchasing power parity) is $15.29 trillion and the richest man there is worth $61 billon and there are over 400 billioniares.

In Nigeria GDP (purchasing power parity) is just $418.7 billion and the richest man is worth $11 billion? 2%??

What does it tell you?

I also agree with you, there's a great wealth gap and inequality in Nigeria, but that's a different topic from whether Dangote is a "self made billionaire" or not.

I believe that the inequality is primarily the fault of our governments. Every good businessman will try to get as much advantage as he can in order to make as much profit as he can. It is the job of the government to make sure that this is not to the detriment of the masses and also to ensure that there is greater equality and social justice (this explains why oil companies behave differently in Nigeria to the way they behave in, for example, the United States).

Aliko Dangote is largely a self made Billionaire.

He got a loan from his uncle Abdulkadir Sanusi Dantata with which he started his business, in much the same way Mark Zuckerburg and Bill Gates got loans/investment from angel investors. However, he didn't spend that money on women, cars and planes, but used his intellect and hard work to double his money. He is not the only member of the Dantata/Dangote family who got a loan.

Aliko Dangote is also close to government officials with the hope that he would get favourable policies from them, just the way Rupert Murdoch was close to Tony Blair and even asked Mr Blair to speak to Mr Berlusconi on his behalf. It is also similar to the way corporations in America donate to political campaigns (whether through the front or the back door).

However, what Forbes means by self made is that the money is his and he made his money. It is not inherited, neither is it family money (that's one of the reasons Nikki Openheimer of South Africa is not rated highly, because most of his money is family money).

onatisi: now from ur analysis tinubu has als did try to find a way of erradicating these hoodlums?then if it is so e can as well assume that this policy will or has the backing of tinubu

Could be, but I don't know/can't say. That would just be speculation on my part.

onatisi: but i have a question ,we all agree that this law is good,timely and long overdue but my question is this how can or will fashola enforce this new law?will he place policemen in all garages or how,what sort of mechanism can the state use to make sure that this law is properly adhered to

I was going to comment on this, but I was distracted. So let's go back to the past in order to imagine what the future could be.

1) The Army vs Agbero saga: During the Tinubu era, some agberos killed an army official. Soldiers subsequently went crazy and attacked any agbero they saw. For about 2 to 3 weeks agberos vanished from Lagos bus stops. Senior officers later intervened and got the soldiers to hand over arrested (and tortured) agberos to the police/state government. I know Colonel Marwa was able to curb their menace by setting up a task force and posting soldiers and MOPOL to bus stops, but I don't remember that period very well.

2) The City Bus vs BRT experience: In 2001/2002 the Tinubu Administration banned danfo and molue buses from Ikoyi, Lekki and Victoria Island as a prelude to banning them from the whole of Lagos. The government allowed private companies to bid for licenses to run transport services on the Island. The biggest franchisee was City Bus, a company created by Cross Country Limited.

Agberos went crazy on Lagos Island, destroying City Bus buses and bus stops because they were deprived of the money they extort from danfo and molue buses. Students of Nigerian Institute of Oceanography annd Marine Research also went crazy because commercial buses were scarce and City Bus fares were higher than the fares charged by danfo and molue buses. The project failed and collapsed.

The government decided to create a BRT system in Lagos. This time it had learnt its lesson from the City Bus experience. They therefore co-opted NURTW into the project. NURTW are one of the franchisees in the Lagbus project. Therefore, the government may speak to top members of the union and devise a way in which the union can collect its dues without extorting money from drivers at the bus stops, motor parks and garages.

Smh. We are back to "my group vs your group".

And that's precisely the problem/issue. NUJ levies dues on its members. You are not compelled to pay NUJ dues if you are not a member. You could even choose to leave the union. NURTW "officials" force members and non members to pay the "levies". You must pay up or have your vehicle smashed, I.e you have no choice.

This has been done before (Tinubu Administration) and I think we would learn a lot by examining what happened then.

The Tinubu Administration barred the NURTW from all bus stops, motor parks and garages in the state. The administration created rehabilitation centres and skills acquisition centres to take care of the agberos and area boys that would be affected by the order.


1) The NURTW went to court. The judge ruled in favour of the NURTW, stating that the government's action violated the rights of members of the NURTW as enshrined in section 41 of the constitution (Fundamental Rights: Freedom of Movement). The judge said that motor parks, bus stops and garages were public places and therefore the NURTW had a right to be at these places.

I was very critical of the government at this time. They should have banned the "activities" of NURTW at the park, rather than simply barring them from the parks. The levies imposed by the NURTW are illegal taxes. Only the federal, state and local governments are empowered to collect taxes. If the union forces people to pay levies, whether the people are members or not, then the union is engaged in extortion, which is illegal and it is collecting illegal taxes. Drivers have a right to choose not to belong to the NURTW (section 40 of the constitution). Note that the Fashola administration has banned their activities.

2) Homeless people, area boys, lunatics, beggars and agberos were sent to the rehabilitation centres. Tests were conducted on them. Lunatics were sent to the mental hospital, drug addicts were detoxified, beggars and homeless people were given a choice between learning a skill, going to jail, or repatriation to their states of origin. Inmates of the centres were taught tailoring, baking and other skills. Upon graduation they were given a loan to start a business.

However, some inmates at the Ita-Oko Island rehabilitation centre protested some punishment meted out to them and burned down the centre. https://www.nairaland.com/400138/area-boys-lagos-ibadan-action

I believe we should examine solutions so that we'll know what we want our governments to do. That seems more productive than "my ethnic group is better than yours".

[size=14pt]Dr Ezekwesili's idea[/size].

Unfortunately Dr Ezekwesili's idea leaked and the people that saw the leak did not understand it. They thought she wanted to sell Federal Government Unity Schools. This lead to a fear campaign. "They want to sell the schools. If they sell the schools only the rich will be able to afford education. If they sell the schools, teachers will be sacked. Etc. However, that's not what the plan is about.

[size=14pt]The Plan[/size]

What, in Nigeria, are known as "Public Secondary Schools" are owned and controlled by state governments. Dr Ezekwesili conducted research into these schools (and also Federal Government Unity Schools) and declared that no right thinking and sane person who has a choice would send their child to a public secondary school. She also discovered that Unity Schools had more cleaners than teachers and that the authorities had stopped inspecting the quality and standards of schools.

She therefore declared that public secondary schools should not be left to the states alone, but management and inspection of schools should be a collaborative effort of the Federal, State and Local governments.

The plan was to contract out the management of the schools to private companies, while the government monitors quality and standards of the school. This would also bring competition to the management of the schools, with each company/school competing for the tag of the best school in the state, etc. Companies whose schools do not measure up to standards would have their contracts terminated and another company would be asked to step in. The companies would be paid by the Federal, State and Local governments.

The monitoring team would be comprised of federal, state and local government officials. Parents-teachers association (PTA) officials and officials of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) were added to the monitoring team after protests, strikes and demonstrations were held because people thought the government wanted to sell Unity Schools.

(Unity Schools are secondary schools owned and run by the Federal Government. They include Kings College, Queens College and the Federal Government Colleges).

So, what do you think of this idea? Would it work? Is it a better funding/management alternative?

I once wrote an article about this, but it won't be appropriate to post it now. Maybe when the games are over. However I'll summarise the basics points.

1) Governments need to stop funding and controlling professional sports (super eagles, professional club sides, etc) and focus on sports development/school sports. They should develop talent at the primary and secondary school level.

These days we depend on luck and other countries to develop talent for us. In the 1970s and '80s we had principals cup, national school's sports festival, etc with which we identified and developed talent. Segun Odegbami wrote an article in which he explained how a professor wrote a suggestion to the government that certain athletes that had been identified at national school sports festival should be given scholarships to the US so that they can go and develop their talent there. He did this in conjunction with an american professor. This produced the great athletes we had in the 1980s and early 90's. We need to go back to this policy. Discover talents at age 15, 16, etc (real ages).

2) We need to kick out the politicians from our sports administration. Relative success that we recorded in the late '80s and '90s attracted politicians who know nothing about sports administration. They came for the fame and free government money. We need to kick them out.

Isn't this a great example of what's gone wrong in this country? There's a major problem and instead of thinking of ways to solve it and putting pressure on government, we play the game of my ethnic group is better than yours, my political party is better than yours, my religion is better than yours. We've been playing this game for decades and look where it's gotten us.


I believe the solutions to these problems lie in Professor Fafunwa's idea from the 1980s (wider scope in education) and Dr Ezekwesili's idea (alternative management and competitive management) and in greater and honest activism from the people.

We urgently need to implement these three things in order to transform our system of education.

I hope and pray that they don't ruin the beauty of this building/compound with all the security measures they are putting in place.

Pictures taken Aug 4th 2012.

More

State House Marina: The pink and white mansion is State House, while the grey and yellow building is an administrative building. The rest of the compound consists of a large garden with beautiful sculptures. The church pictured here is Our Saviour's (Anglican Church) which is directly behind State House. It used to be the State House chapel.

They're adding barbed wire to the fence. It seems GEJ prefers Marina to Dodan Barracks.

Dodan Barracks has this exact same type of gate except for the Ribadu Road entrance. The Obasanjo Administration replaced the gate at Ribadu Road with a white piece of junk.

At Dodan Barracks the coat of arms is attached to the (red) mast above the gate. Here at Marina the mast is bare, but the coat of arms is carved into the front wall of the building.

Public secondary schools are run by state governments (except unity schools and armed forces schools). Primary schools are run by local governments (except Home Science and armed forces schools). Dr Ezekwesili's idea was to contract out the management of the schools. This was to be done in conjunction with state governments, local governments, PTA and NUT (because the schools are owned and run by state and local governments, while the other groups are stakeholders).


In her own words, we have a Ministry of Defence and a Federal Ministry of Education because education is the responsibility of all. So we also have state ministries of education. See the exclusive, concurrent and residual lists in the constitution.


Aunty Ayo Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Keffi Street, South-West Ikoyi, Lagos.

Picture taken October 2009. The school P.T.A wrote the state government a letter complaining about the situation, but they only got a specification of what type of furniture to provide, and with what material.

Thankfully, by February 2010, some parents were able to provide desks & chairs for their kids. Since the desks/chairs are designed for 2 kids each, about 80% of the kids now have desks & chairs.

I like this thread & she's pretty.

I like the diversity on nairaland home page.

Politics (just like Tell, NewsWatch, Time, NewsWeek)

Sports (just like Complete Sports, Soccer Star, etc)

Jokes (just like Ikebe Super, Papa Ajasco, etc)

Pictures (like OK, Hello, Ovation, etc)

Gossip (like Encomium, National Enquirer, City People, etc)

Sex ? ? ? No sex.

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flexya: Am I missin something or didn't the law only ban "articulated trucks" between 6am and 9am. "Articulated trucks = truck head + body. In other words, TRAILERS, since tankers are exempt. It does not ban 6 or 10 tyre tippers, it does not ban non articulated water tankers, canther/cabster type trucks or lorries.

If LAHA/Fashola truly meant 2 mimic western cities, fuel tankers ought 2 be the first on the banned list. Infact, their movement across the federation should be limited 2 night time. This will greatly reduce the number of accidents and fatalities involvin tankers

I completely agree with you. However, when Tinubu tried to enforce the law, tanker drivers went on strike, fuel queues grew at petrol station and Tinubu backed down.

I think they are trying to work something out with the Federal Government, NUPENG and the marketers to put an end to the problems caused by tanker drivers.

Note that those who break the law and "escape" can still be traced with the aid of the auto-inspector. See below.

[size=14pt]Policeman Protests Towing Of Car, Shoots At LASTMA[/size]

A policeman, Solomon Awodogan, on Wednesday allegedly shot indiscriminately at the Iponri office of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority to protest the towing of his vehicle by the agency’s officials.

PUNCH Metro learnt that LASTMA officials had towed the vehicle after it was parked on the Bus Rapid Transit lane.

The General Manager, LASTMA, Mr. Babatunde Edu, said after the shooting, the policeman got itno his vehicle and sped off.

Edu said, “The policeman reportedly stormed the Iponri office of LASTMA, shot sporadically and forcibly ran away with his apprehended vehicle. The red Mercedes Benz with number plate JV 23KJA was apprehended at Oyingbo for parking on the BRT dedicated lane, thereby violating the BRT traffic law.

“The owner of the vehicle deliberately parked on the dedicated lane without recourse for the established law as it became an impediment for BRT buses to move on the lane. This led to the towing of the vehicle. The Mercedes Benz was booked in accordance with Lagos State Traffic Management Regulation law.

“The suspect, who later traced the vehicle to the Iponri office of the agency, wore a cream top on his police trousers and started shooting into the air indiscriminately to scare away the officers and the security men on duty and succeeded in taking away the vehicle from the yard.”

Edu expressed disappointment that a law enforcement agent could break the law with impunity, adding that such acts of indiscipline could lead to the breakdown of law and order.

Edu said the policeman, whose address was traced to 10, Abolade Street, Mushin through the aid of the auto inspector computer software, would be sanctioned accordingly so as to serve as a deterrent to others.

When contacted, the spokesperson fo

r the State Police Command, Ngozi Braide, said she was unaware of the incident but promised to find out.

http://www.punchng.com/metro/policeman-protests-towing-of-car-shoots-at-lastma-office/

https://www.nairaland.com/1006890/policeman-protests-towing-car-shoots

[quote author=femi_seun]Since BRF has signed the bill of Jail terms for traffic offenders then he has indirectly passed death sentences to LASTMA officials who attempt to enforce the law. HIT & RUN cases will increase now[/quote]That's the benefit of the auto-inspector. Hit and run drivers can now be traced. Take this as an example https://www.nairaland.com/1006890/policeman-protests-towing-car-shoots

Remember the punishment for murder.

Biggyd2: I don't know if there is a contrary judgement to the one below:

LASTMA can’t impose fine on traffic offenders – Court
On September 22, 2011 · In News

By INNOCENT ANABA
LAGOS- Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has declared that Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, lacks the power to impose fine on traffic offenders.

Delivering judgment in the suit filed by Mr. Jonathan Odutola, Justice Abang declared that sections 9, 11, 12 and 13 of the law establishing LASTMA is unconstitutional and of no effect.

The judge not only awarded N500,000 against LASTMA, but stated that the four sections of its law were contrary to Section 36 of the Constitution, which gives the right of fair- hearing to every Nigerian.

He held that while LASTMA has the power to arrest traffic offenders, it does not have the powers to impose fine on them, adding that instead, it is a court of law that has power to impose fine on anybody who contravenes the law.

The judge submitted that the imposition of fine on any traffic offender by LASTMA amounted to being a judge in its own cause.

He said: “Sections 9, 11, 12, and 13 of the law establishing LASTMA is unconstitutional. It is against the spirit of the Section 36 of the Constitution, which gives right of fair-hearing to every Nigerian. Moreover, that would amount to being a judge in your own cause.”

Odutola had dragged LASTMA to court for unlawfully impounding his car and imposing and slamming an illegal fine on him.

In the suit, he stated that last March, while driving his car on Third Mainland Bridge, it suddenly developed some mechanical problems.

According to him, to ensure that the car did not obstruct free flow of traffic, he immediately called a towing-van which towed the vehicle completely out of the road.

He said he also paid towing-van operator some money for the service rendered.

Odutola stated that he also called his mechanics to come and rescue him and the vehicle, adding that as soon as the mechanics arrived, some policemen patrolling the bridge who apparently wanted him to give them money refused them to work on the car.

When he insisted, Odutola and the mechanics were thoroughly beaten and harassed.

The policemen then called LASTMA officials at Sura, Lagos Island, who immediately came and towed the applicant’s car to their office and consequently slammed him with a fine if he must get his car back

https://www.nairaland.com/765555/lastma-t-impose-fine-traffic

That's what he meant by

He pledged that his government would strictly implement the law, assuring that offenders would be given fair hearing and would be accorded the right to defend themselves during prosecution.

The judge said LASTMA can't unilaterally impose fines because that goes against the principle of nemo judex in causa sua (you can't be a judge in your own cause). They have to take the suspects to court. It is the court that would impose the fines.

Acidosis: omg!
Many ''graduates'' here can never be entrepreneurs!

You all are looking at this offer from a wrong direction. This man is a business genius. He has seen the advantage of a literate driver over an illiterate driver. Some of his drivers are careless, some of them drink heavily while driving but an average literate driver won't do that.
Now, when a drunk driver drives a vehicle, so much risk is involved. . .it might lead to death (family) and loss (Dangote and Goods).

Let me remind you all, the main target of any company in the world (government or private) is not Job creation but ''PROFIT''. Dangote is only helping the ''GRADUATES'', he can decide not to even employ Nigerians and I tell you, there is absolutely nothing anyone can do about it. .
We're talking business here not charity.

Precisely. In the last one year we've had many instances of Dangote trucks being involved in unnecessary accidents for which the company has had to pay huge sums in compensation. Probably he believes it would be safer and cheaper (less compensation payments) to hire graduates as truck drivers. This is not about trying to denigrate graduates.

Fashola sought residents’ voluntary compliance with the law, emphasising its real objective was to improve the traffic situation rather than putting people in jail.

Ipaye added that the law would address the safety and security issues associated with operations of commercial motorcyclists and illegal use of vehicles in the state.

He said the law would not be implemented immediately, adding that a lot of public enlightenment would be carried out while copies distributed to residents.

This is very important. They need a good public enlightenment campaign.

The law restricting the movement of trucks was first passed during the colonial era. It was ignored during the military era. Governor Tinubu tried to reinstate it (including banning trucks from using some bridges and constructing over-head bars on some roads and bridges).

I hope they strictly enforce it this time (especially in the Apapa and Ojo districts) in order to eliminate the awful traffic jams these trucks cause. (I was once stuck on Park Lane Apapa for 3 hours because of one of these crazy truck drivers).