Executive Order: So far, so little
By Tribune Online
Executive Order: So far, so little
FROM his first day in office, Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, left no one in doubt about his populism approach to politics and governance and on Wednesday when he threw open, every Thursday peak periods, the money-consuming toll-gates on the Island, it could be clearly seen the path he is determined to go.
In a little more than 40 days he has been in office, his half-formed administration (without state executive council) has kept talking about addressing, decisively, the incessant traffic and unwholesome sanitation practices that have been major challenges facing the state of aquatic splendour.
There is no doubt that these challenges have been there with the residents for many years but they could be said to have escalated beyond comprehension in recent times due to the perceived poor handling by the last administration headed by Mr Akinwunmi Ambode and the effects have been there for all eyes to see.
So, as a part of the strategy to address the problems, the incumbent, Governor Sanwo-Olu, just a few days into office after being sworn in on May 29, 2019 rolled out what his government termed an Executive Order which dictated the way and manner his administration wants to go about addressing the incessant traffic and unwholesome sanitation practices in state.
The governor stated in the Executive Order, which he equated to declaration of an emergency and personally signed by him, that:
“Whereas, in recent times, incessant traffic and unwholesome sanitation practices have been major challenges in Lagos State, these unaddressed traffic and environmental violations continue to constitute a nuisance that threaten the safety and well-being of all the citizens.
“There is therefore the need to declare a state of emergency over environmental/sanitation and traffic management matters within the state so as to start the process of restoring stability and a culture of accountability in which all the citizens become active stakeholders in bringing about the necessary changes.
“Now, therefore, I, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Executive Governor of Lagos State, pursuant to the authority vested in me under the laws of this state do hereby order as follows:
“That as from the date of this order,
“I. There shall be zero tolerance for environmental abuse, including illegal and indiscriminate refuse dumping and construction of drainage points and setbacks.
“II. The office of Drainage Services under the Ministry of Environment shall be imbued with power to commence an aggressive clearing of all secondary and tertiary drainage systems in all the Local Governments (LGs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) within the state in a bid to eliminate refuse, silt and other drainage blockage as well as ensuring easy and free flow of rain water during the raining season.
“III. All LASTMA officials will immediately begin work on a shift basis in which road and traffic management operations will endure till eleven o’clock (11.00mp.m.) on a daily basis.
“V. Lagos State Public Works Corporation will immediately commence the identification and repairs of all potholes and bad roads within the state.
“V1. The provisions of this order shall extend to all law enforcement agencies in the state in maintaining law and order for the collective good of the citizens.
“I expect the fullest compliance with this order and will look to the various Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies to give full force and effect to the order herein contained, and to take responsibility for any failures.”
Action time?
To accomplish his government’s dream, Sanwo-Olu took immediate steps to demonstrate his strong commitment by paying on-the-spot assessment visits to some places of note.
For instance, he was at the Apapa port, where traffic logjam has been a major problem for years now without any solution in sight, a situation which has nearly crippled business activities in the axis. The governor promised to collaborate with the Federal Government in quickly addressing the long unresolved traffic crisis in the area as he said his government would ensure that farm tanks in the area are relocated elsewhere to ease up traffic.
He was also at the Olusosun dumpsite around Ojota, where he pronounced new directives on waste management approach in the state and the need to put the dumpsite to optimal use through expansion.
Regarding traffic management, his next port of call was the headquarters of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) at Oshodi where he, with some top management officials in his entourage, met with officials and staff of the agency to charge them to put in more efforts at accomplishing the goals of his government on traffic management as enunciated in the order.
He then dropped the big one: “As from the end of the month of July, we shall increase your allowances by 100 per cent. That means if you are collecting N5,000 as your allowance, it would be increased to N10,000. Those collecting N10,000 before would now be getting N20,000. This would enable you perform optimally. To whom much is given, much is expected.”
He, however, reminded them that “Lagosians expect a corruption-free LASTMA that will not go about to collect bribes from motorists. Be respectful and courteous even when you are going to arrest an offender. Lagosians want a LASTMA that is decent, they want neatness. We don’t want laziness and lateness to work. Be my advocates.”
Guinea pigs and sacrificial lambs
When you are determined to step on the hem of your own garment, you can rent another person’s with no qualms, says a Yoruba adage. It appears that toes would be broken when full implementation of the order begins but because it is emergency in nature, many residents feel that its impact should have been strong and immediate.
But the governor said he had got plans and he listed those who would bear the brunt if the order was taken for granted. Speaking on okada menace, he said: “There are rules that guide operation of commercial motorcycles. The Lagos State law states that okada should not operate on some roads. We will have a meeting with security operatives on what we should do. We are not going to condone people obstructing our roads. I am now taking it as warning to all those parking their vehicles on the road such as importers of tokunbo vehicles to comply by removing them from the road because we will come one day and take all the vehicles off the road. People should provide space for their businesses.”
Then the banger: “I will tell my cabinet members that if you are caught or apprehended violating my traffic rules, you will pay.” He added that not even their defaulting relations should be spared.
Our verdicts –Residents
For celebrated academic and banker, Professor Segun Ajibola, Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies, Caleb University, “the Executive Order can help restore sanity in the entire landscape of Lagos and promote environmental-friendly attitude of the citizenry if faithfully implemented. Lagos suffers from untold environmental abuse due to poor planning, especially the drainage system, indiscipline in the use of environment by the residents, ineffective sanitary system and population explosion. The state of most of the roads within Lagos State as of today is highly deplorable, causing commuters much hardship and waste of precious man-hour. There is the urgent need to reverse the trend which the order aims at achieving. However, much has not happened since the order was released. It may, therefore, be too early to talk about its effectiveness, but one hopes it will not be so much of motion without movement. The governor needs to set up an independent implementation and monitoring team as a matter of urgency to save Lagos environment from further degradation.”
Veteran journalist Ayo Olesin’s take is sharp and straight to the point. For the publisher of The News Matrics, an online newspaper, the emergency proclamation was “very well in order but still all talk. We want action.”
His colleague in the pen profession, who is also an educationist based in Ikorodu, Femi Abulude, had a fairly expanded opinion: “The order is timely because the two areas, that is, road and environment, are very crucial. Recklessness on the road will ultimately lead to mortality. The mortality rate on the road is higher than what sicknesses are causing. Most of these road accidents are preventable. While the drivers are reckless, the law enforcement agencies that are saddled with the safety responsibilities are corrupt. This is what leads to impunity on the part of the drivers. To say the truth, the effects of the order have not been felt considering the noise and expectations that came with the declaration. On the issue of indiscriminate dumping of refuse, apart from the fact that it is an eyesore for a state that prides itself as a mega city, the health hazard that goes with it can better be imagined. Like that of the road, the effect of the order has not also been felt. The roads are still littered with refuse and people are still dumping dirt on the roads and in the drainages. Go around the state, you will see what I mean. Apart from LAWMA, private companies should also be encouraged to participate in the collection of refuse from house to house. This has been done before, why can’t they be employed again? This new broom should be able to sweep better. This is my take.”
Applying legal binoculars, Mr Adeyinka Adeleke, lawyer and property consultant in the Surulere area of the state, said everything was still premature.
“The Executive Order is desirable and to that extent, a very welcome development. However, it is too early to start assessing and passing any judgement on it. Lagosians may need to wait a little more for detailed and objective assessment.
“The order covers a lot of things: issues that touch the very heart of our welfare as Lagosians. Of all the issues – decongestion of traffic, clearing of drainages and waterways, decongesting the city of wastes and others – the only area that can be said to be noticeable for now is the extension of the hours of duty of LASTMA officials. This is a very sensitive aspect considering the level of heavy traffic occasioned by high population concentration and of course, flagrant display of lawlessness on the part of many road users, private and commercial drivers inclusive. If the order becomes effective, it will make the city and the entire state a much better place for all of us,” Adeleke said.
Seeing is believing
Saturday Tribune, after taking the people’s views, went to town as they say, for a direct assessment and those who sounded pessimistic so far can be said not to be far from the truth.
Ifako/Ijaye
The situation in Ifako-Ijaiye and Agege council areas isn’t different from what was sighted elsewhere like Ikorodu, Badagry and parts of Ikeja GRA. Most roads in the axis are full of what can best be described as gullies and not potholes. Motorists and motorcyclists can no longer side-step those big holes. They just have to find the most manageable portions on their paths to wriggle through. And because of that, people waste valuable time on their way to work and also when returning home. It is gridlock everywhere, especially during the rush hour in the morning and evening every day, and coupled with the usual impatience of Lagosians, many grow angry easily over the slightest of provocations. Commuters in the axis are not only paying double of the normal transport fares, they struggle to get vehicles to convey them from their various bus stops to their destinations, because not many vehicles want to ply the bad roads. The Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, particularly between Abule-Egba and Toll Gate-Sango on both sides, is not an exemption. Regular users of the ever busy dual-carriage ways know that they will encounter gridlock at General Bus Stop, Obadeyi, Casso, Kola, Moshalasi and Alakuko down to Toll Gate.
Jankara Market
Also, Alakuko-Junction Road to Daleko and towards Agbado Station Junction and Kolllignton down to Amao fuel station as well as Power Line from Jankara Market, near Oba Lambe palace down to Olaniyi Street and most of the adjoining road, including that of Owoyemi Street, constructed less than two years ago, are now in terrible shapes. They are just not motorable. Power Line Road, for example, ought to be an alternative route for people living around Toll Gate up to Ijaiye-Agbado Road on the left side of the expressway inward Lagos, but now practically abandoned.
This set of people isn’t supposed to have any business with the expressway to connect to other parts of Lagos, but for the deplorable state of the road. Motorists have actually deserted the route. It will even be difficult for a first-timer to the area to believe it is part of Lagos. One of the commercial tricyclists plying the route from Jankara Market to Fagba, who gave his name simply as Mr Johnson, told Saturday Tribune that he visited mechanics to fix one damaged part or the other of his tricycle almost every day. “That is not all,” he added, “we always feel very tired and stressed by the time we are closing for the day.”
Pen Cinema
Similarly, Pen Cinema, Agege, where an overhead bridge is currently under construction, to Iju Ishaga, down to Agbado-Crossing, Ajuwon and Akute, Ajayi Road in Oke-Ira, among other major roads in that axis and likewise from Total Agege to Abule Egba, are just plainly appalling. Ibari Street, Dada and Omomo are also among the numerous others in similar conditions.
However, roads that could be said to be fairly passable in both council areas include College Road from Excellence Hotel in Ogba to link Iju-Agege road and then the one to Obawole from Aruna bus stop and Capitol Road. The Iyana Ipaja road from Oke-Koto in Agege as well as Jonathan Coker in New Oko Oba, as well as a few others can also be ranked passable.
Hunters hunted
Just as the state government was declaring its opposition to bribe taking and LASTMA re-enforcing its commitment to the discharge of its work effectively, two of the agency’s men have been caught and paraded for bribery.
The officers, whose names were not disclosed, were said to have allegedly received gratification from a female traffic offender. According to a report, the officials were summoned to the Governor’s Office following a petition from a lawyer to the offender, which alleges that the officials received undisclosed amount of money into their personal bank accounts as bribe to free the offender, who claimed to have innocently driven on a one-way lane.
However, during a fact-finding engagement with the deputy governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, the duo was said to have admitted collecting money from the offender, but not as a bribe but appreciation.
And this is how Hamzat ruled their case: “These two officials allegedly extorted money from an offender whose lawyer sent a petition to us. We have listened to their stories, but we are not convinced by their defence. For further action, the two officers have been referred to LASTMA for further investigation and possible disciplinary actions. The law must take its course. This effort is to inform members of the public that LASTMA is created to make life easy for all of us. In carrying out their statutory duties, no agency of government is allowed to harass citizens. We advise residents not to pay penalty into personal bank accounts of government officials. LASTMA and other agencies have their direct lines to lodge complaints.
“This administration will ensure people live peacefully in Lagos. We are not out to harass anybody. These two LASTMA officers will receive disciplinary actions if found guilty. They will be given fair hearing to prove their case, but if found guilty, the law would take its course,” Hamzat said.
Residents were also encouraged to report more erring government officials.
Obey our laws –Govt
Meanwhile, the governor has taken the campaign for his Executive Order to churches and mosques, where he sought the support of religious leaders to ensure its success, even as he mooted the idea of establishing special courts to try traffic offenders, who will be made to serve their punishment if found guilty at the point of contravention. He vowed that his administration would not spare anyone, irrespective of status, who endangers lives of road users by disobeying the state traffic regulations.
At an interdenominational thanksgiving service which took place at the Deeper Life Bible Church Headquarters in the Gbagada area of the state, the governor warned: “We want the people to obey Lagos Traffic Law. We want them to understand that they are not the only road users who have right of way. If you want my government to finish well, don’t drive against the traffic.
“We are working with the Acting Chief Judge of the state to set up special mobile courts that will dispense judgment on traffic offences. Any offender would be made to serve the punishment immediately, which could be in form of compulsory community service. We are declaring zero tolerance for disobedience to traffic rules.”
And to prove that the administration isn’t just all talk and no action, Sanwo-Olu’s deputy, in the course of assessing situation report on Lagos-Badagry Expressway, was recently forced to impound a number of vehicles being driven against traffic, which is clearly an offence listed among others in the traffic law of the state.
As the government is talking and acting tough, LASTMA, the agency saddled with most of the responsibilities concerning the execution of the order, is assuring residents over the fines being circulated on social media platforms, saying the move was not a punitive measure but part of the law and measures that had been put in place to restore sanity to roads in the state.
The LASTMA General Manager, Mr Olawale Musa, said the process of implementing traffic law in the state had been democratised in order to ensure that cases of traffic infractions are proven, determined and punished accordingly.
“This would allow for fair hearing and transparency in the implementation of the law. The process has also put burden of proof on traffic officials and are, therefore, to be more professional, civil and polite to motorists and members of the public, but firm against violators of the law so as to check cases of impunity on the road,” Musa stated.
Musa added that the law was not new to the public, but only being emphasised, even as he frowned on situations whereby motorists usually embark on flagrant disobedience of traffic law, driving against traffic to face oncoming vehicles as well as parking vehicles and picking passengers at undesignated places.
With the current stance of the state’s residents, the governor’s philosophical saying about “to whom much is given…” may be a message from him, not to LASTMA, but himself.
Executive Order: So far, so little
Tribune Online