File: Gridlock as tankers shut down Apapa road.
By Ebunoluwa Sessou
As part of efforts to ease the burden of transportation in the state, the Lagos State House of Assembly has commenced process to harmonize the state’s Transport Sector Reform (Amendment) Laws 2018, in a bid to ensure its workability.
In view of this, the House, on Wednesday, organized a day public hearing within the Assembly complex, where stakeholders queried some of the ambiguous sections of the Bill as reviewed by the Majority Leader of the House, Mr. Sanni Agunbiade.
The bills were entitled; ‘A law to Amend the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018;’ and ‘A Law to provide for the Regulation of Traffic on All Highways, Roads and Streets in Lagos State and for Other Connected Purposes; and ‘A Bill for a Law to Establish the Lagos Ferry Services Corporation and for Connected Purposes.’
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While giving the overview of the Bill, Agunbiade said, “The purpose of the Bill was premised on how Lagosians could ply the road unhindered while obeying all traffic rule and regulations, as well as enforcement of penalties for traffic offenders.
According to him, “Transportation is more important than road traffic, but we want to talk more about traffic in the state. We must be able to manage traffic to save manpower.
“Traffic Bill has 33 sections and it talks more about how drivers should operate. It creates provision for a third party liability, which is the owner. It emphasises traffic, owners and operators of any type of vehicle in the state.
“It also talks about carelessness or reckless driving. It provides for custodian and non-custodian penalties of offenders.
The Deputy Speaker, Mr. Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, who represented the Speaker, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa noted that not less than 1.6 million vehicles ply Lagos roads on a daily basis, adding that the numerical strength of the vehicles has overstretched the infrastructure in the state.
