By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) Lagos Central Senatorial District has advocated for the engagement of youths as volunteer traffic wardens to compliment the work of regular traffic wardens and LASTMA officials in the control of chaotic traffic situations in Lagos, particularly within Lagos Central Senatorial District.
In a letter to the State government signed by the vice chairman of the council, Comrade Adeyemi Adesegun and the secretary Comrade Rasheedat Adekola, the council noted that engagement of youths as traffic wardens would enhance the work of LASTMA deployed to different strategic positions and reduce the gridlock affecting the people of Lagos Central and Lagos state in general.
NYCN lauded Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his efforts in the rehabilitation of major roads and bridges in Lagos State, particularly the connecting routes within Lagos Central Senatorial District, which is adding to the rate of traffic gridlock within Lagos Central.
The youth council stated that despite the fight against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic disease, Lagos state government still further the scope of protection of citizens lives by seeing the need to rehabilitate the Lagos roads and bridges especially the third mainland bridge.
“Amidst the ease down of the COVID-19 pandemic in the world, nation and Lagos as a state, it is worthy to appreciate the efforts of Lagos State Governor, His excellency Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his team for taking lives of the citizens as their foremost priority by putting in place different measures in curtailing the spread of the Coronavirus”
Parts of the letter read: “To compliment the efforts of the government and his T.H.E.M.E agenda, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) Lagos Central Senatorial District Youths wish to serve as Volunteer Traffic Warden to enhance the work of the lastma officials deployed to different strategic positions and to relieve the grid lock affecting the people of Lagos Central and Lagos as a whole”.
“There is a saying “An idle hand is the devil’s workshop”. A lot of youths have been relieved of their duties at their various places of work which has rendered most youths jobless, especially during the most recent hijacked EndSARS peaceful protest . We hereby feel the need to engage them (Youths) in rendering the service of Traffic Warden to relieve or eradicate gridlock. This Youth Council can produce more than 200 youths within Lagos Central to work with the Lastma officials and other security agencies.
“We seek the official approval of Lagos State government led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu to mobilize the youths for the job by having them trained and provide them with protective gadgets such as jacket, first aid tools, identity card, polo, trousers, nose mask, stipends and any other incentive that can enhance their productivity while at work”.
WE ARE YOUTHS, WE ARE READY! BUILD THE YOUTH!! BUILD THE NATION!!!, the letter concluded.