National Daily

NURTW tasks Fashola on traffic laws

•Danfo to go off highways in Lagos

NATIONAL Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has expressed concern about the recently introduced traffic law, and urged the state Governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) to avoid roping innocent Nigerians into offence committed by drivers.
Speaking with National Daily in office last week, the Sole Administrator of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Lagos State council, Stephen Falusi, demanded to know the rationale behind the roping of innocent passengers into crime committed by drivers.

Expressing his worry over the law, Falusi stated that it would be wrong for any law enforcement agents to arrest both drivers and passengers for offence committed by drivers because passengers cannot stop drivers from driving against traffic.
“The introduction of the law has already generated lots of arguments between us and the state governor because we are of the view that it is wrong for innocent passengers to be arrested together with drivers that violated the law. We in this union are not in support of lawbreakers or disobedience to constituted authorities. We don't tolerate lawlessness by our members to the government or to other road users, hence will always have a way of dealing with recalcitrant behaviour among our members. But this particular law that intends to rope in passengers in offence committed by drivers is not in our interest. “Likewise, it is unpalatable to us to note that owners of broken down vehicles would be liable to heavy fines or jail because nobody will deliberately allow his or her vehicle to break down on the road.”

“The explanation by the governor that the reason was to compel passengers of vehicles to warn their drivers against driving against traffic was not palatable to us because passengers have no power to control drivers.'

In his reaction to the question on how far the union has gone in its campaign against child labour abuse, Falusi explained that that campaign was ongoing but needed the assistance of law enforcement agents to arrest any drivers that indulge the services of children as conductors.

He noted that some drivers that involved in using children as conductors often drop and pick the children outside motor parks, “it is only law enforcement that can help us to deal with such drivers that in the habit of dropping and picking such conductors outside the park to avoid being arrested by us.”

Commenting on success of BRT, Falusi noted that the project was succeeding but observed that there are some lapses on the part of some of the drivers because they are fund of exceeding the speed limits and so they should be re-orientated.
The union boss explained that contrary to some media reports that the big buses (Molue) are going to be phased out from the state, saying “Molue will work side by side with BRT. For now, BRT are not covering all the roads in the state.
His is of the view that unless urgent steps were taken molue would be out of the roads because of lack of spare parts not because of BRT.

However, Falusi noted that the smaller buses (Danfos) rather than molue would soon give way to BRT corridors. According to him, danfos would be restricted to interiors, minor routes; they would service BRT by bringing passengers from interiors to BRT bus stops. As more BRT buses start functioning, danfos, would be restricted from highways.

Justifying other buses being forced to use service lane, Falusi explained that BRT corridor is meant mainly for BRT alone.
He commended Governor Fashola over his rehabilitation of roads and drainages. According to him, “you are talking about bad roads; I can tell you that Fashola has tried because he has repaired some roads. Remember that lack of good drainages caused quick damages to road, so embarking on clearing of drainages must be commended.

It would be recalled that Fashola administration on June 8, 2008, introduced a new traffic law which tends to arrest drivers and passengers of any vehicle that drive against one way.

If the law is allowed to work, passengers in any bus, commercial or private vehicle (including Okada) that drives against traffic will pay N50, 000 while the driver will by liable to pay N250, 000 or spend 20 days in prison and the vehicle will be impounded. Similarly, any vehicle that breaks down would be made to pay heavily. By this, it means the state complex will soon be flooded with impounded vehicles that price will be enough to buy another tokumbo vehicles.