By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Lagos State Government has deployed more body cameras to the Lagos Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, personnel as part of measures to enhance transparency in traffic management and enforcement in the state.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, presented the gadgets at the weekend, to zonal heads of the agency at LASTMA headquarters, Oshodi, Lagos, with the pledge to keep them working for increased credibility and confidence in the delivering of effective traffic management and enforcement.

Explaining the reason for the redeployment of the gadgets, Giwa stated that Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration has brought lots of technological innovations to address the transport challenges of the State of which the body camera was one, for accurate traffic management among many other benefits.

Expressing his optimism of the body-cam to be able to deliver authentic traffic law violation reports or complaints as the case may be, Giwa assured that “it will provide accurate validation of any tale rendered by both the law enforcement officers and motorists. The pictorial evidences will also help in investigating complaints lodged by aggrieved motorists.”

While commending LASTMA officers for their renewed commitment at ensuring the State continue to witness tremendous improved traffic management, Giwa thanked the entire LASTMA workforce for a warm welcome he received at the headquarters.

On the operation of the camera, the LASTMA General Manager, Mr. Bolaji Oreagba, assured that the officers have been duly trained on the usage and so are capable of handling the gadget adding that the camera would have a significant effect on deviant behavior on the road.

Oreagba, explained that “the body-cam initiative is a win-win procedure for both the law enforcement officers and motorists as the regular arguments on traffic laws violation will be put to rest through detailed recordings.”

An officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity at the event, informed that what thrills officers the most about the gadget is the fact that it provides another layer of security by dissuading would-be attackers from carrying out their heinous crimes knowing they would be captured by the body-cams.

Recall that the Germany made body cameras which was launched in year 2021 by the Governor Sanwo-Olu have been found to work effectively for 12 hours without a blink, as the battery life span is strong and durable for the use of the law enforcement officers.