OLORUNDARE ENIMOLA, Lagos
Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, the Ogun State deputy governor, has commended the State's Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, TRACE for supporting the economy of the state by ensuring that people and goods move efficiently across the nooks and crannies of the state, emphasising however that there is a need to adopt digital platforms that would aid real-time reporting of traffic situations, simplify its traffic management process and enhance traffic data collection.
The Deputy Governor gave the commendation and the charge on Wednesday last week at the Agency's annual Corps' Commander's Conference for TRACE commanders, with the theme; ‘Capacity Building for Effective Data Collection and Protection Beyond Compliance.’ held at the Obas Complex in Okemosan, Abeokuta, the state capital.
The Deputy Governor who was the chairperson at the event, added, “In addition to keeping the road safe, your work supports the economy of the state by ensuring that people and goods move efficiently across the nooks and crannies of the state. This conference is an opportunity to reflect on past achievements, recognising gaps, and charting a new course for greater efficiency and impact. We must focus on aligning our system with modern realities. This includes embracing innovation, fostering collaboration, and building trust with the public.
“Effective traffic management in today’s world requires more than enforcing compliance. It requires data-driven strategies. Traffic data collection is a cornerstone of modern road safety management, enabling evidence-based policy-making resource allocation and long-term planning." She said.
The Deputy Governor also challenged TRACE to lead in innovation, saying, "technology provides a wealth of opportunities to redefine traffic management and data collection. You can collaborate with technology companies for innovative solutions, such as digital reporting platforms. I want you to look into the possibility of providing mobile apps that allow citizens to report traffic incidents in real-time.”
She advised the Agency to collaborate with the private sector on the possibility of developing mobile apps that would allow citizens to report traffic incidents in their areas to assist the agency in precision and timely interventions.
In his presentation, Prof.Samuel Odewunmi, of the School of Transport and Logistics,Lagos State University, supported the Deputy Governor's line of thought, noting that the rapid growth of urbanisation, motorisation, and infrastructural development has significantly increased the demand for reliable traffic data in modern cities.
While he called for accurate and comprehensive traffic data collection, he said, “Ogun State can develop a sustainable and forward-looking traffic data ecosystem that will enable data-driven policy making, enhance road safety, optimise traffic flow and contribute to the broader socio-economic development goals.”
Also in his presentation, Prof.Adeniji Adesanya of NISER,Ibadan, talked about addressing intelligent transport system in traffic management, stressing that traffic economics concerns how traffic system impacts an area’s economic prosperity,product pricing and supply.
He underscored the deployment of approximate intelligent transport system by TRACE and other stakeholders in road safety sphere “in fulfilling their mandates, as well as improving their overall performance.”
He said the ITS include number plate detectors,speed cameras and traffic signal contro system among others.
Dr.T.O.Salam who addressed the issue of accessing of data information for traffic management and mitigating crashes on Ogun traffic corridors, said such data could be sourced from both primary and secondary sources in particular areas of focus.
He said, “This information is needed if there are re-occurences of a particular incidence and information needed to mitigate or stop the occurrences.”
Making his remarks earlier, Ogun State Head of Service, Kehinde Onasanya, underscored the importance of the conference stressed that the conference, stating that “it is an indication of the state government’s commitment to building the capacity of its workforce.”
He said, “This conference serves as an excellent example of the government’s commitment to grooming a more capable and responsive workforce. For any meaningful development to take place in the civil service, capacity building is the way to go.”
The Commissioner for Transportation, Engr Gbenga Dairo, noted that effective data collection would ensure traffic compliance and sustainable response to the needs of the travelling public.
“It is through effective data collection that we can create lasting changes, ensuring that our traffic systems are not only compliant but also sustainable and responsive to the needs of the travelling public.”
The TRACE Corps Commander/CEO, ‘Seni Ogunyemi, advocated for effective provision of road furniture like road signs, directional signs among others in order to reduce carnages on the roads.
“He noted that collection is very crucial because “it will help in policy formulation and strategic planning.”
While he added that the agency would adopt digital innovation in traffic management as suggested by the deputy governor, he pleaded with the government to assist in the acquisition of the relevant technology to make their job seamless.
He said the senior officers who attended the conference would in turn ho nack to their various zones and units and impact same on the junior cadre operatives in TRACE.
Other highlights of the event was the presentation of awards to the Deputy Governor and other deserving government officials among others.
*High Rate Of Traffic Offenders, Bad Omen For Nigeria - Owatunmise*
OLORUNDARE ENIMOLA, Lagos
Mr. Jide Owatunmise, Registrar/Chief Executive, Professional Driving and Safety Academy in an exclusive chat with DAILY INDEPENDENT has said, the rate of Road Traffic Crashes, Injuries and Deaths is still very high in Nigeria.
According to him, the 2023 data released by the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) shows that about 5,000 (five thousand) people died in Road Traffic Crashes, RTCs. The report by the World Health Organization (WHO) however revealed that over 39,000 (Thirty nine thousand) people died in road traffic crashes in 2023 in Country.
He noted that though there is disparity between the figures released by FRSC and WHO, "we know who is correct and who is wrong."
"If you look at the data of Traffic Offenders as released by the FRSC, it is mind-blowing. The report reveals that the number of Road Traffic Offenders apprehended in the year 2023 is 614,051 (six hundred and fourteen thousand, and fifty one).
"On the side of FRSC, the record of arrests is a record - breaking achievement. To me, I see the High figure of violators as a bad omen. It is clearly an evidence that too many people are either still ignorant of the Road Traffic Regulations and Road Rules while some are stubbornly disobeying the traffic laws thereby presenting themselves as Safety Risks on the roads." He lamented.
Owatunmise stressed that the higher the number of traffic offenders, the higher the rate of Road Traffic Crashes, injuries and Deaths on Nigeria roads. The higher the rate of Road Rules violation, the higher will be the rate of Road Traffic Crashes. He said.
"It is worrisome that over 80 per cent of the current holders of Nigeria Drivers Licence do not know all the provisions of the National Road Traffic Regulations and the Nigeria Highway Code. Over 70 per cent got their Drivers Licence without undergoing the full Theoretical and Practical training sessions in Driving Schools. What we see on the roads today is trial by errors driving which has been the root cause of the high rate of traffic law violations and crashes.
"The National Road Traffic Regulations (2012) clearly states that every Driver (and Rider) must undergo a minimum of 9 hours of Cummulative refresher training before the Drivers licence can be renewed. The compromise in the enforcement of this law has further worsened the level of knowledge, skills and attitudes of Drivers thereby placing Nigeria as one of the Countries with the highest rates of road traffic crashes and also among the worst countries to drive in." Owatunmise said.
Adding that the high rate of compromise and corruption in traffic law enforcement is also another major cause of the high rate of traffic law violations and crashes.
"The continued loss of lives and properties on the road has a lot of viral effects on the Country, GDP, Communities, Families and Businesses among others.
"In order to quickly and effectively stem this disheartening tide, there is an urgent need for the Federal, State and Local Governments, Ministries of Works and Transportation, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) as the Lead Agency in Road Safety Administration, State Government Traffic Agencies, Directorate of Road Traffic Services (VIOs), Driving Schools, Transport Unions, NGOs and CSOs involved in Road Safety, Institute of Driving Instructors of Nigeria and other Stakeholders in Transportation and Road Safety to wake up to their responsibilities towards ensuring Safer Road Infrastructures and Safer Road Users." He stressed.
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