LASTMA Sacks 8 Officers & Demotes 20 For Gross Misconduct

MICHAEL AKINOLA 

For the past 10 months, the Lagos State Transport Management Agency (LASTMA) has been doing in-house cleaning by sacking eight officers and demoting 20 others for gross misconduct and corruption across the State.

P.M.EXPRESS reports as was disclosed by the General Manager of LASTMA, Babatunde Oki-Olalekan, while speaking with journalists in Lagos.

He further stated that over 30 officials were given warning letters to dissuade them from engaging in activities that would tarnish the image of the agency.

Mr. Oki-Olalekan also explained that when he took over in July last year, his team began a massive and aggressive training, retraining and reorientation of the officials for better performance on the road.

He however, revealed that between January and July this year, the agency recorded 2,443 accidents while 109 lives were lost on Lagos roads.

The decision of the authorities to overhaul the Agency may be connected to the outcry of the members of the public especially the motorists over the activities of the LASTMA officials on the highway ranging from corruption,  violent attacks and unprofessional manner of performing their duties on the highway.

This is not the first time the LASTMA boss was taking disciplinary action against the erring officers since he took over.

The LASTMA boss had earlier stated that since his assumption of office on November 20, 2023, a total of 18 officers had faced the authority’s personnel management board over misconduct, and 14 were found guilty and punishments have been meted out to the erring officers.

He explained that the punishments ranged from dismissal and reduction in rank to voluntary retirement and issuance of warning letters.

“There are stipulated rules, and we have our code of conduct.
The modus operandi is that any of our men found wanting either in terms of extortion or any other form of illicit act will be given a query.”

“After the query, the officer or personnel will be slated for personnel management board’s discipline,” he said.

On payment of fines with cash by motorists, the LASTMA General Manager said it is not allowed and reiterated the Agency’s commitment to repositioning LASTMA as an effective and professional agency to reckon with in the State.

He said every payment must be made into Lagos State Government’s account through a bank.

“If any official extorts money in the guise of bank network issues, the official should be reported to LASTMA.
He or she will face appropriate sanctions,” he said.

He advised LASTMA officers to operate within the ambit of the law, the LASTMA code of conduct and all stipulated rules and regulations.

“We are laying emphasis on training and retraining of our men so that we can achieve better service delivery to Lagosians,” he said.

He urged motorists to obey all traffic laws, rules and regulations especially the 2018 Reform Transport Sector Law of Lagos State.

“They should always be patient and prioritise safety.
Lives and interests of other road users are equally important.”