The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has set up a seven-man panel to investigate the cases of extortion of motorists allegedly by the officials of the agency.
This is coming after a story was published by The PUNCH, November 18, on the issue.
One of our correspondents had visited the headquarters of LASTMA in Oshodi, Lagos, and wrote about the plight of motorists, who were reportedly arrested on trumped-up charges by officials of the agency.
A statement on Sunday by the Director, Public Affairs Department LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq, confirmed that investigation had begun into the matter.
The statement read partly, “The attention of LASTMA has been drawn to a publication inside The PUNCH Newspapers on pages 28 and 29 with the caption ‘Anger as LASTMA officials clamp down on motorists with trumped-up charges‘ dated November 18, 2022 where three officials of the agency were alleged to have collected N13,000, N15,000 and N20,000 respectively from different commercial bus drivers in Lagos.
“The General Manager of LASTMA, Bolaji Oreagba, disclosed over the weekend the agency had summoned all officials mentioned inside the publication to appear before a seven-man investigation panel, set up to thoroughly look into those allegations as published.”
The statement said Oreagba disclosed further that all evidence contained inside The PUNCH publication would be thoroughly scrutinised by the panel and any official fond culpable would be made to face the consequences under the extant rule of the State Civil Service as specified.
“We have set up a seven-man investigation panel to thoroughly look into those alleged extortions levied against some of our officials and I assured the public that the outcome of the panel would be made public particularly by The PUNCH Newspapers.
“We have it on record that some of our officials alleged to have found wanting for official misconduct or unethical behaviour recently are currently facing disciplinary panel as the management would not condone any act of indiscipline from any official,” Oreagba was quoted to have said.
While encouraging members of the public to always come forward with their complaint with evidence against any misbehaved officials via the agency complaint hotlines (08100565860/08174722227/08129928597), the GM however, pointed out that there were many LASTMA officials that dedicated, conscientious and professional in carrying out their official functions as observed during the LASTMA Connect Programme aired on Traffic Radio with many Lagosians acknowledging the good work of traffic control personnel.
He advised all road users in Lagos to obey the traffic regulations so as not to run foul of the Law, stressing that some violators were fond of offering traffic personnel bribes to avoid prosecution without realising that the law frowned on both the giver and the taker.
The GM pointed out that any motorist with genuine complaint or report should equally reach out to LASTMA via the Agency’s various social media channels.
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