Bus Drivers And Conductors In Lagos To Start Wearing Uniforms As From Next Year

Commercial bus drivers and conductors will
begin to wear uniforms and badges as from
January 2013, says the Lagos State
Government.
Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode
Opeifa disclosed this at the weekend at a
sensitisation programme for transporters on the
new Road Traffic Law at the Adeyemi Bero
Auditorium, Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.
According to Opeifa, from 1 January, all
commercial bus drivers and conductors would
begin to wear uniforms and badges in line with
the provision of the traffic law.
He explained that the state government wants to
sanitise commercial road transportation in the
state so that operators in the sector could be
proud of their job while quacks would be
eliminated.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for
Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, declared that the state
Road Traffic Law was not intended to be another
source of revenue generation for the state
government, stressing that the law was rather
enacted for public good and to protect the
interest of the citizens.
Ipaye stated that the penalties for road traffic
offences were to serve as a deterrent to road
traffic offenders thereby guaranteeing safety on
the roads. He called on law enforcement agents
to always seek how they could assist road users
to comply with traffic rules rather than focusing
on arresting of people on flimsy excuses.
The commissioner enjoined members of the
public who were aggrieved by their arrest and
penalties imposed on them on account of traffic
offences could approach the Office of Public
Defender which would defend them free of
charge.
Commissioner for Information and Strategy,
Lateef Ibirogba urged them to first comply with
the law, insisting that in any civilised society there
must be rules and regulations which must be
obeyed for there to be peace and order.
Special Adviser to the State Governor on Political
and Legislative Powers, Muslim Folami, stated
that the sensitization programme was aimed at
educating members of the road transport unions
on their rights and obligations under the road
traffic law so as to facilitate compliance to the
law.