Fashola Declares War Against Military,Policemen Violating Road Traffic Law31.10.2013, 15:10

Lagos State,
southwest Nigeria, has vowed to prosecute
policemen and military officers violating the
state's Road Traffic Law, saying such bad
eggs must be dealt with without mercy. Gotcha:
Fashola
Declares
Speaking during the presentation of the 2014
budget proposal to the Lagos State House of
Assembly at Alausa in Lagos on Wednesday,
the governor decried the attitude of policemen
and military officers who break the traffic law
with impunity.
"Let me say to them clearly, that it is bad
enough if law enforcement personnel violate
the laws they are constitutionally paid to
enforce, it is the height of impunity if they do
so in uniform."
Fashola said while the traffic law was being
obeyed by many Lagosians, "I cannot say the
same for a few law enforcement agents and
few military personnel who have either turned
enforcement into an extortion exercise for
money or have seen themselves as above the
law by violating our traffic laws and BRT
Laws.
"That uniform is the symbol of the authority of
the State and it is funded from tax payers'
money. I have news for those bad eggs who
give law enforcement a bad name in this
country.
We will bring you to justice and make
examples of you; before you bring dishonour
to these timeless institutions that have
produced officers and true gentlemen," he
vowed.
However, Fashola said he was happy that the
traffic law, since its commencement had been
working and had recorded huge success,
saying that he was elated that one year after,
things had taken shape in the transportation
sector in the state.
Reeling out statistics, Fashola said: "Traffic
accidents have reduced from 646 reported
accidents in August 2012 to 118 reported
accidents in July 2013, and deaths from
motorcycle accidents have reduced from an
average of 12 per month to one per month
and indeed no deaths were recorded in
August, September, and October.
"We are concluding plans to implement the
next phase of the law, and we have been
working with the transport unions to sensitize
them."
Fashola reiterated that out of over 10,000
roads in Lagos, the law restricted motorcycles
from plying only 475, which were highways, if
such motorcycles were not up to the 200 cc
capacity.
He said the law also provides that in the over
9,000 roads where there is no restriction, the
riders must wear safety helmets and not carry
more than one passenger.
Speaking after the budget presentation,
Speaker of the Lagos State House of
Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji called on
residents of the state to be interested in the
2014 budget and its performance.
He said this was because lack of interest in
governance often has a damning effect on the
people for which the government exists.
"I enjoin Lagosians to take an interest in this
matter because as Plato rightly said: 'the
punishment we suffer, if we refuse to take an
interest in governmental matters, is to live
under the government of worse men,'" he said.
While thanking God for giving the state men
who truly knew why they were in leadership,
the Speaker also promised that the House
would do everything within its capacity to
pass the budget without delay.
The presentation of the budget by the
Governor before this legislative Assembly is a
constitutional matter.
In Section 121 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria it is stipulated
that, the Governor shall cause to be prepared
and laid before the commencement of each
financial year estimates of the Revenue and
Expenditure of the State for the next financial
year.
"This is to seek legislative approval for the
amount of money to be received from
stipulated sources and spent on specific items
in the coming financial year.
I want to assure you on behalf of all of us in
the House of Assembly that we will apply our
utmost best, within our legislative powers to
give this budget proposal the detailed
attention it deserves for its transformation
into appropriation bill for the benefit,
prosperity, growth and development of Lagos
State and Lagosians," he stated.
According to Ikuforiji, "it is pertinent to remind
us that this budget proposal is the
penultimate and last full year budget that will
be presented and equally executed by your
Excellency before the expiration of the 7th
Assembly and your administration.
"As the House of Assembly parleys with the
executive to move the state forward, let me
reiterate here that there is a great need to
also put life in our local councils so that they
can realise the objectives of their existence.
There are indications that the various local
government councils and local council
development areas could perform better than
they do presently if they are adequately
funded and monitored.
The councils are the levels of government
closest to the masses. We must strive to
strengthen them to fast-track people oriented
programmes.
Our desire to institutionalise responsible
governance at the local government areas
informed the assembly's supervisory roles
over these councils.
The Federal Government should as a matter of
urgency voluntarily shed weight by re-
allocating the excess funds it collects from
federation purse to the states and loca