By Mike Adeyemi
The Kwara State Road Traffic Management Authority (KWARTMA) rated third among traffic management agencies in the 36 states of the country.
The Chief Executive officer of the agency, Alhaji Yekeen Babatunde Bello stated this in his office on Tuesday adding that only traffic management agency in Lagos and Enugu were rated higher than KWARTMA in the country.
Bello, who was recently appointed for a second term in office by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, said, KWARTMA, is set to introduce new traffic management initiatives such as Traffic Mayor and Schools Advocacy Programmes among others.
Speaking further, he said traffic rules compliance among motorists in the state has increased to 60 per cent.
According to him, since inception of the agency in the state, there is a rapid improvement in management of traffic especially in Ilorin, the state capital.
“When we started, hardly will you see two out of 10 commercial motorcyclists wearing crash helmet. But, presently the rate of compliance and adherence to the usage of helmets has changed.
“Until now, it is not as if Kwarans don’t know that traffic rules exist but they just decide to be complacent about it. Now compliance has geometrically improved contrary to when we have just started. You hardly see motorists in the state now with expiring documents,” Bello stated.
The KWARTMA boss further said, the public and private motor garages in the state have equally key -in to the rules and regulations laid down by the government and this has gone a long way in creating a stable and harmonious relationship between KWARTMA officers and road users in the state capital.
“We don’t believe in confrontation but dialogue. We identify anomalies with road users and we give them a time lag to correct it. But, after this leverage, we noted that there was no compliance, then we swung into action.
“The fear of KWARTMA to apprehend you now is the beginning of wisdom. The moment we apprehend you for traffic offences, you will pay for it at the same time you must renew your particulars,” he stated.
Speaking on his re-appointment, Bello appreciated Governor Ahmed and the Commissioner for Works and Transport, Alhaji Aro Yahaya for the trust reposed in him.
