Okada deaths reduced by 80% in Lagos —Commissioner

Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Opeifa

The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, says there is a sharp drop in the rate of accidents and deaths caused by commercial motorcyclist (okada) in the state.

He said this on Tuesday at a press conference in Lagos to commemorate the 2013 United Nations Global Safety Week tagged, “Make walking safe”.

He said, “The introduction and enforcement of the Lagos State Road Traffic Law has started yielding positive result going by the records from both our public health institutions and the traffic enforcement agencies with the reduction in the number of accidents, and accident victims recorded.

“On okada accidents- which involve riders, passengers and pedestrians- we have reduced accidents by 81 per cent and deaths by 80 per cent.”

He said to also help pedestrians, the state had marked over 200 zebra crossings, saying that more would be added soon.

The commissioner observed that some pedestrians fall victim to road accidents because they fail to use facilities provided by the state for their safety, adding that the many years of military rule in the country were responsible for the bad culture.

He, however, expressed the hope that Lagosians would adjust and comply with safety measures put in place by the government.

He said the ministry planned to embark on more vigorous campaign and sensitisation.

The representative of the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. Adeoye Irelewuyi, commended government’s effort at improving the condition of roads in the state.

He wondered why despite the huge investments in providing facilities, some residents of the state failed to use the pedestrian bridges and instead put their lives in danger.

The Executive Director of Temidayo Ogan Child Safety and Support Foundation, Mrs. Temidayo Ogan, urged the government to do more by enforcing traffic policies and punishing offenders.

PUNCH