Lagos relaunches advocacy programme to address poor traffic knowledge

The re-launched Lagos State School Safety Traffic Advocacy Programme (LASTSAP) will effectively address lack of traffic knowledge and poor road attitudes.

The Special Adviser to the state Governor on Transportation, Mr Sola Giwa, gave the assurance at the official re-launch of LASTSAP on Wednesday in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the re-launch organised by Lagos State Ministry of Transportation had the theme, ‘Every Child has a Right to a Safe Road’.

According to Giwa, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Olawale Musa, research has shown that the majority of commercial and professional drivers has limited exposure to traffic safety education.

He said that the limited exposure and poor road traffic attitude constituted a safety challenge.

“Many of the drivers are primary school graduates or individuals who did not complete secondary education; yet, they play a vital role in our transportation system.

“Additionally, our children and youths, whether as pedestrians, passengers or cyclists, share these roads daily, making their safety an utmost priority.

“Through the initiative, we aim to address these challenges by instilling traffic safety awareness among students, teachers and parents across public and private primary and secondary schools,” he said.

Giwa said that the programme was carefully designed to provide comprehensive traffic education and foster safety consciousness, thereby promoting responsible road use from an early age.

He added that the programme sought to shape people’s attitude positively, ensuring that children would become responsible drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists, and above all, responsible citizens in the future.

“This re-launch underscores the state government’s renewed commitment to traffic safety education.

“By equipping our schools and communities with the necessary knowledge, we are not only addressing immediate safety concerns but also creating a traffic-conscious generation.

“This initiative is a significant step toward ensuring safer roads for all Lagos residents.

“However, the success of the initiative depends on active participation of all stakeholders,” he said.

Giwa called on parents, educators, school administrators and community leaders to embrace the initiative.

The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, urged Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) to extend the road safety sensitisation to mature people.

According to Omotoso, the sensitisation should not end with the young people.

“Everybody needs this kind of lesson.

“There are so many people in Lagos State who do not know the basic rules – how to behave on the road – and sometimes, their activities put others in difficult situations.

“The road is an essential part of our lives; so, we need to learn how to behave on it so that we keep ourselves and others safe,” he said.

Earlier, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, said that the initiative was geared toward ensuring that children should know how to act safely.

Bakare-Oki added that the enlightenment programme would also help children to know how to assess risks on pavements and roadways, as well as how to be safety consciousness and behave responsibly when going to school and while coming back.

“The programme will inculcate the culture of discipline in children, teach them to endeavour to walk on pavements or paths as well as walk in single file on the right side of the road facing traffic,” he said.

Bakare-Oki promised that LASTMA would align with and commit to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989).

The convention states that every child should be afforded necessary protection and care for well-being.

“Machinery within our disposal will be mobilised to ensure the sustainability of the Lagos State School Traffic Safety Advocacy Programme,” Bakare-Oki said.

NAN reports that some schoolchildren took part in the programme.

Source: NAN