The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has commenced comprehensive operational preparations for the Ember Months and forthcoming festive season, with plans to activate an intensified 24-hour traffic management strategy across the State.‎‎
The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, disclosed that the Authority had commenced preventive operational preparations for the coming Ember Months and festive season, with plans to activate an intensified 24-hour traffic management strategy across the State.‎‎His address highlighted warnings, tips and measures aimed at ensuring Lagosians have safe and seamless mobility throughout the Ember Months.‎‎
The strategy represents the Authority’s planned operational framework to ensure enhanced traffic surveillance, rapid incident detection and expedited response across critical transportation corridors.‎‎
The General Manager stated that personnel and specialised response teams would be deployed to specific congestion-prone locations, major interchanges, bridges, routes, transport terminals and commercial districts.‎‎
He explained that the intensified operation would leverage real-time traffic monitoring, strategic corridor management, intersection control, traffic-flow optimisation, incident-response protocols and rapid obstruction clearance to sustain network efficiency.‎‎
Attention was would be accorded to vehicular bottlenecks occasioned by breakdowns, crashes, indiscriminate parking, illegal loading and off-loading, road obstructions and other recurrent impediments to traffic circulation.
‎‎He added that LASTMA would strengthen its incident management and traffic diversion mechanisms, ensuring that accidented or disabled vehicles are swiftly evacuated to minimise incident-induced congestion and secondary crashes.
‎‎Where necessary, tactical diversions and temporary traffic-control measures would be deployed to preserve network continuity and facilitate the orderly redistribution of traffic.‎‎
The General Manager emphasised that the complexity and intensity of festive-season traffic necessitate an unprecedented level of inter-agency operational collaboration.‎‎
Accordingly, LASTMA would strengthen collaborative efforts with other protective agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos Ambulance Service Agency (LASA), Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, transport unions and other relevant stakeholders.‎‎
He further urged motorists, commercial transport operators, articulated-vehicle and tanker drivers, as well as other road users, to exercise heightened vigilance and comply with traffic regulations.‎‎
He specifically cautioned motorists against breaking road traffic rules.‎‎
Advice was also given to motorists to undertake comprehensive pre-trip vehicle safety checks, putting things such as braking systems, tyres, lighting and other critical components into consideration before embarking on journeys.‎‎
He encouraged members of the public to promptly report cases requiring LASTMA’s attention.‎‎
The General Manager assured Lagos residents and visitors of LASTMA’s unwavering commitment to maintaining safe, efficient and resilient traffic circulation throughout the Ember Months and festive season.