Ambode incompetent to confront Lagos robberies, traffic gridlock, says The Economist

By Friday Ajagunna - New Mail

  

The influential London-based weekly magazine, The Economist, has hit hard at the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, describing his administration as grossly lacking the solution to confront and resolve the traffic congestion and robberies plaguing the state.

The 172-year old magazine, said rather than build on the successes of his predecessor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Ambode had continued to fail at his job, adding that the only thing Ambode had been able to do was make excuses for his shortcomings.

Governor Ambode

The Economist said in its latest issue that why Fashola succeeded by enforcing stringent traffic laws and empowering the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Ambode’s undoing was relaxing the enforcement of traffic laws, which had encouraged a culture of impunity in Nigeria’s most populous city.

It said the gridlock was already affecting productivity and the way of life of Lagosians because workers now get to work late.

It explained that armed robbers had taken advantage of the usual traffic gridlock thereby worsening the plight of Lagosians.

“Lagos is a hub for investors in Africa – it is a bigger economy in its own right than most countries on the continent, so this is of serious concern. The state’s former governor, Babatunde Fashola, who left office after elections in March, was lauded for improving traffic and security.

“He curbed dangerous motorbike taxis and brought local ‘area boys’ (street children), under control. Cars were terrified into order by a state traffic agency, LASTMA, whose bribe-hungry officers flagged down offending drivers.

“His successor, Akinwunmi Ambode, is full of excuses, but few solutions, for the worsening gridlock. Traffic is always bad during the rains, he says. Nigerians are migrating to Lagos en masse in search of work in a worsening economy, his office adds.

“Yet the root of the problem is in policy: Mr. Ambode cut the powers of traffic controllers by banning them from impounding cars. In retaliation, officers have refused to enforce the rules,” The Economist said in what has come to be known as the hardest criticism of Ambode’s administration.

The magazine said the traffic congestion in the state was the symptom of the frosty relationship between the Ambode administration and enforcement agencies in the state.

The report adds that the traffic situation may get worse if urgent steps are not taken.

“Reform in a culture riddled with corruption is never easy. Mr. Ambode’s office says the measure was intended to create a more “civil society”. Less fastidious types think it amounts to weakness, and would prefer that he focused on public transport instead.

“The biggest concern is that the gridlock is a sign of a breakdown in relations between security forces, government agencies and the new governor. If that is the case, there could be worse to come. That is bad news not only for Lagosians, but all Nigerians too,” the report said.