- Says programme is to help inculcate new driving culture among future road users, promote road safety among students
- Govt gives cash awards to students
By Demi Adeniyi
The Lagos State government took road safety initiatives to the grassroots, with the relaunch of road traffic safety advocacy programme (LASTSAP), in public and private Schools in the state.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Transportation, aims at catching children at both the primary and secondary schools, their teachers and parents to imbibe road safety etiquettes, and grow to become responsible road users.
Speaking at the event held at the Combo Hall, Agidingbi, Ikeja, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr. Sola Giwa, emphasized the importance of instilling traffic safety awareness from an early age.
About 10 public and private primary and secondary schools, including the Pacelli School for the Blind, participated at the launch. Others are the Girls Junior College Agege, Emma Grace College, Igando, Mulero Junior College, Agege, El-Bethel Junior College, Ijaiye-Gbagada, Onilekere Junior High School, Agege, and Divine Possibility International School, Ebute Meta among others.
Giwa who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr Olawale Musa, said the programme reflects government’s determination to tackle the poor road knowledge and attitudes that often compounds road safety issues in the state.
Giwa noted that many commercial and professional drivers equally lacked formal traffic education, a development which he said reinforced the need for the government to “catch the future road users young.”
He stressed that children and young people, as frequent road users must be equipped with essential road safety skills to reduce transport-related incidents/accidents or crashes, which remain a leading cause of death among young people globally.
The re-launched programme he said, will provide comprehensive traffic education across public and private schools in Lagos State. It aims to foster safety consciousness, promote responsible road use, and instill positive road attitudes among children to ensure they become responsible drivers and citizens in the future.
Giwa called on parents, educators, school administrators, and community leaders to actively support the initiative, stating, “Traffic safety education must become a shared responsibility, deeply rooted in our homes, schools, and communities.”
The programme is expected to yield significant benefits, including: Increased knowledge of road traffic safety from an early age, improved road user behaviour across all age groups, engender a long-term transformation of the road environment, making traffic safety a shared cultural value.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy Mr Gbenga Omotoso applauded the Ministry of Transportation for coming up with such a laudable initiative aimed at changing the narrative and engender a better driving culture in the state.
He said: “Together, we can ensure a Lagos State where every child thrives safely, and where our roads, which are our shared common assets, are pathways of safety if used responsibly.”
Earlier, LASTMA’s General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki said the re-launched programme marked a significant leap toward creating a traffic-conscious generation and ensuring safer roads for all Lagosians
Bakare-Oki said it was further to show that LASTMA is not about arresting traffic offenders all the time, but as critical stakeholder, is committed to child road safety.
The event, held under the theme “Every Child Has a Right to a Safe Road”, underscores the critical need for safe road practices for schoolchildren.
The LASTMA chief expressed gratitude to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation for his tireless efforts in ensuring the programme’s success. He emphasized the alignment of the initiative with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) of 1989, which advocates for every child’s right to protection, care, and safety.
Bakare-Oki highlighted alarming global statistics from the World Health Organisation, noting that over 12 million people die annually in road-related accidents, with many more disabled. He said LASTSAP aims to address this by equipping children with essential road safety skills.
The programme coordinator, Bar. Sina Loremikan said the LASTSAP focuses on teaching children on safe road rules such as walking on pavements or paths, or walk facing oncoming traffic where no pavements exists.
He said the trainings would be taken by LASTMA officials and volunteers and focuses on training both pupils and students of primary and secondary schools on the many safety tips that promotes safe roads.
He said the training would among others include; encouraging the avoidance of distractions like mobile phones or headphones while crossing roads, advocating for responsible adult supervision for younger children, instilling the importance of seatbelt usage, as mandated by the Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018, and the safe ways to cross the roads and obeying traffic signal lights.
The initiative also emphasizes integrating road safety education into school curriculums to instill discipline, awareness, and responsible behaviour from an early age. By fostering these habits, the government hopes to reduce accidents, injuries, and fatalities while creating safer environments for children to walk or cycle without fear of traffic hazards.
The highpoint of the event was the announcement of cash prizes for lucky winners of road safety related question by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Musa.
The Permanent Secretary announced the cash price of N100,000 to be shared by two students who won his spot questions on road safety for the vulnerable and inclusive transportation.
The Permanent Secretary also announced the sum of N5,000 for each of the students participating in the LASTSAP relaunch exercise.