Motorists Hail Oki For Redeeming LASTMA Image Within A Year In Office

BY PAUL IYOGHOJIE

Elated bus drivers plying Lagos roads have commended the General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Mr. Bakare Oki Olalekan for his uncommon courage and leadership wizardry in redeeming the once battered image of LASTMA and restoring its lost glory within a year in office.

Some of the bus drivers who spoke with our Correspondent in Lagos metropolis about the unprecedented achievements of the LASTMA boss sad Oki is the first and best LASTMA GM in the history of the agency who did his best within a year in office to stop motorists complaints and unpleasant incidences from occurring between his personnel and motorists unlike  before.

They commended his introduction of laudable initiatives such as the retraining of personnel and the launching of Customers  free Toll Lines 080000527862 and 080000 LASTMA which they said have helped drivers greatly in addressing their complaints any time they were arrested by LASTMA officers instead of resorting to violence with the Officers.

The drivers said the Free Toll Lines have killed illegal arrest and extortions among LASTMA personnel as they are now doing their job with caution unlike before.

The drivers said before Oki assumed office, there is no week or a month past without incidences of LASTMA officers chasing after fleeing motorists leading to accident and death, or complaints of extortions and indiscriminate arrest of bus drivers for no just cause.

But Oki have succeeded in eliminating those vices within a year of assuming office.

They praised Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for supporting Oki in transforming and reforming the LASTMA to acceptable standard and changed the LASTMA to a better agency.

They further commended the Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwasheun Oshiyemi, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Olawale Musa and the Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Sola Giwa for their unalloyed contribution to the success story of LASTMA of today.

According to Mr Elijah Obioma, a driver, “We drivers were the one complaining about LASTMA personnel’s illegal arrest, extortions and overzealousness but we the same drivers are the one telling the World today that the LASTMA GM, Mr. Bakare Oki have killed those vices within a year of assuming office with the launching of the Customers free Toll Lines and the retraining of personnel.

“Bakare Oki is a God sent to bus drivers in Lagos and any driver that is still complaining negatively about LASTMA personnel without using the toll free Lines is not sincere,” Obioma stated.

Mr John Omenai, a driver plying Mowe to Victoria Island, Lagos said, “I am still wondering how GM Bakare Oki was able to transformed the LASTMA, inculcated discipline on his personnel which have stopped the usual negative public complaints about LASTMA operations within a year of assuming office. It shows that the appointment of Bakare Oki by Governor Sanwo-Olu is not a fluke but a blessing to Lagos bus drivers.

“The most surprising thing about the LASTMA GM is that there is no time of the day or night you call him or the Toll free Lines that they will not respond or rescue drivers shows the LASTMA of today is working and Lagos is also working,” Omenai said.

“I am now appealing to Lagos drivers to continue to use the LASTMA free Toll Lines anytime they are arrested for traffic matters instead of taking the law in their hands or setting LASTMA officer on fire,” Omenai added.

On assuming office as LASTMA General Manager in November 2023, Oki swung into action and held an elaborate conference with his personnel at LASTMA Headquarters at Oshodi where he told them his dos and don’ts.

Oki initiated the retraining of personnel for efficient service delivery and the launching of the Public Toll Free Lines which have rescued about 1,750 motorists with the support and approval of  Governor Sanwo-Olu which have brought about the success story of LASTMA of today.