Lagos links 80 per cent road accidents to commercial motorcyclists

THE Lagos State Government has attributed over 80 per cent of road accidents recorded within the metropolis to commercial motorcyclists.Also, the state government has advised all riders to adhere strictly to the new traffic law, which came into effect recently.Speaking at a forum on the new law organised for local government official, the State Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaiye, explained that the 80 per cent figure was reached at the end of a research conducted by the ministry of health.Represented by Mr. Olanrewaju Akinsola, the commissioners saidabout 25 per cent of crimes committed in the state were also allegedly aided by commercial motorcycle operators.Appealing for stakeholders support, the commissioner explained that the state government is committed to regulation public transportation in the interest of all stakeholders.Explaining further, he said the traffic law was not entirely new, adding that it was first enacted in 1949 to serve only about 300, 000 people. The commissioner puts the present Lagos State population at 18 million.The commissioner said:' When a law has been amended several times, there are bound to be issues of ambiguity'.He said apart from security, the law also caters for the issue of standard, safety and sanity.According to the state government, only approved motorbikes, with 200cc engines, would be allowed.He said no branding of commercial vehicles operating in the state would be allowed outside the approved state colour.
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