The Lagos State Government has advised those who might not be satisfied with the enforcement of its traffic law to use the services of the Office of Public Defenders to seek redress in court.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, stated this on Friday during a sensitisation programme on the law, organised by the ministry in conjunction with the state Political and Legislative Powers Bureau.
Opeifa, who expressed satisfaction with the level of awareness on the law, urged the residents not to hesitate in making use of relevant establishments to fight their causes if their rights were infringed upon in the cause of enforcing the law.
He said, “The kind of questions that people are asking show that they already know the law. So if they feel that the law enforcement agencies are taking advantage of them, they have the options of contacting the Office of Public Defenders in the Ministry of Justice to fight their cause.
“They can also approach the Ministry of Transportation, House of Assembly Committee on Transportation and other bodies. That is why we organise programmes like this to expose people to their rights and how to protect them.”
Opeifa said the government was not interested in destroying motorcycles, popularly called okada, seized for violating the traffic law.
When reminded that officials of the state Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit on October 9, dismantled about 3, 000 okadas at the task force yard in Alausa in preparation for their crushing, the commissioner said he was not aware of it.
He said, “The clampdown on okadas is the enforcement; that is the law. I am not aware of any crushing of okadas. It is a statement credited to someone that we don’t know. So, the statement is not from anybody in government.
“The government is only demanding that we should comply with the law and that is why we have decided to educate those majorly concerned on their rights.”
The Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, advised the law enforcement agents to use more of correction before making arrest.
He said, “For instance, the law does not penalise vehicle break down per se. It only penalises obstruction. When vehicles break down you are only required to move it to avoid obstruction. Law enforcement agencies are there to serve you. If they treat you like strangers and have to always arrest, then something is wrong.
“Everything should not be about arrest; there should be more of assistance. Law enforcement officers should prevent you from committing traffic offences than arresting to correct. At the same time, it is condemnable to drive when our cars are faulty.”
The Public Relations Officer, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Surulere Zone, Mr. David Wilson, urged the government to provide more parks to prevent transporters from turning road sides to parks.
October 22, 2012 by Sodiq Oyeleke
Written by NEWSTRAWL ONLINE UPDATE
Sodiq Oyeleke is a Media, Human Resources, Project Management and Public Relations Practitioner
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