The Lagos State Traffic Bill that was signed into law by Governor Babatunde Fashola on Thursday is still shrouded in controversies.

Cross section of motorists and motorcyclists, popularly called Okada riders who bared their minds to Saturday Tribune on Friday, claimed outright ignorance, while others simply dismissed it as a failed project.

However, while it is still business as usual for Okada riders in Ikorodu, bus and cab drivers, popularly known as kabu kabu, were seen in their parks obviously discussing the latest development and way forward.

The Chairman, Oke-gbegun taxi park, Alhaji Muftai Adeyemi, called on the government to ensure a comprehensive and adequate public enlightenment before enforcement, stressing that his members would need time to study the documents.

While affirming that the law would restore order to traffic flow in the state, he, however, advised that the government should put in place a machinery to check extortion by the relevant agencies.

On his part, a bus driver, who plies Ketu – Oshodi route and simply identified himself as Lucas, told Saturday Tribune that the law would not work, urging that what the government had succeeded in doing was to empower the Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) officials to continue their extortion spree.

“This is a way of further enriching the highly corrupt LASTMA officials. Tell me how one could drive in a day without falling foul of the law. The government is indirectly saying we should pack our bags and go to our villages. Some aspects of the law are simply draconian,” he said.

As a matter of fact, the consensus among his colleagues at the Ketu terminus was that the law was to empower LASTMA officials to enrich themselves.

An Okada rider, Mes-hack Igagu, said the government was simply wasting its time.

According to him, if the law is properly enforced, the government would need to open more prison houses, just as he said the streets of Lagos would be left for only  BRT buses and cabs owned by the government and those that can afford the fines.

He disclosed that his union would meet on the matter and did not rule out heading for the court once again.

Expressing his opinion on the matter, a broker, Mr. Ogbona Uche, warned that the traffic rules would affect small business owners who sell their wares on the road. The rules are a welcome development in a state were you have a lot of lawlessness coming from its residents who ordinarily will not attempt same in neighbouring countries.

“By and large, I think the government should have consulted with the people who definitely will be at the receiving end. It will not have much negative impact on big businesses, rather it will boost it. I believe the government must have done its homework, because there is going to be an increase in crime rate in the state soon,” he said.

A shareholder leader, Chief Felix Onuwa-bhagbe, while giving his own view said:  “My take on the whole matter is that, the state government meant well for the people in the state, because if you see the influx of people from other parts of the country into Lagos, you will agree with me that the rule and regulation is late in coming. If you also look at the menace being caused by Okada riders, the story has been the same, a particular section of the country think they can just come to the state and be doing the Okada business without recourse to rules and regulations.”    

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