Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has urged residents to
resist officials of the Federal Task Force parading as traffic officials on
Lagos highways.
Fashola gave the advice yesterday at the fifth anniversary of Uniformed
Voluntary Clubs in Lagos State public schools at the Police College, Ikeja.
He said the only agencies recognised by law to manage traffic in the
state are the Federal Roads Safety Corps (for federal roads) and the State
Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), adding that the Federal Task Force was
illegally constituted to create confusion in the state.
Fashola said: “In the times of elections all manner of behaviour would
be seen. The report got to me and I think they are FERMA men.
“That is what we have done with our SURE-P money. It is now for
Nigerians and Lagosians to ask the Federal Government and the President if they
had been honest with us on SURE-P savings of over N6 trillion.
“It was a savings to be used to improve our lives. We can now see how it
has improved our lives; setting up an organisation that has no law two months
to the general elections.”
The governor said the money expended on the Sure P Task Force could have
been invested on roads, such as Tin Can-Apapa-Oshodi Road, to improve the
wellbeing of the people.
“There was an accident on that road on Monday. It is to that kind of
routes that SURE-P money is supposed to be going, not to dissipate it into
political organisations for a very wanton desperation to win election.
“Perpetuation of such illegalities” is not new, citing that similar
attempt was tried in 2006 but did not produce any result “because they were
roundly defeated.
“So, if they go back to a method that didn’t work, we will not be
provoked. We expect that at some point in time, common sense will prevail.
“They have no right to manage traffic. The only agencies empowered by
law to manage traffic in Lagos are LASTMA and FRSC on federal roads. Citizens
should just resist them and should not cooperate with them,” he said.
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