Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Thursday officially unveiled the ‘Live Camera Update’ of the State traffic radio, 96.1FM.
The Live Camera Update is an innovation that will enhance free-flow of traffic for Lagos motorists and other road users.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony at the radio‘s premises, Agidingbi, Ikeja, the governor stated that the real-time information update would address challenges faced by the traffic managers.
The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi said there would be traffic reportage from the live cameras situated at strategic locations across the State.
According to him, the deployment of the new technology directly connected to the radio studio was in line with the Smart City initiative of the state government.
Sanwo-Olu added that the Live camera update infrastructure enhanced the capacity of the radio station to provide timely, reliable, accurate and dynamic information reportage and travel advisory to teeming Lagosians.
He said the event was of utmost important because it is a testament to deploying state-of-the-art technology by providing efficient service delivery.
The governor said as a result of this commitment which is in line with the Smart City project, the government had achieved significant improvement in addressing operational challenges in several areas, including traffic management, health care service, land management, urban planning and law enforcement.
“The use of technological tools have become imperative in a city like ours with high and increasing population. The Lagos traffic radio live camera infrastructure being commissioned today is therefore an addition of technological driven initiative adopted by this administration to enhance free flow of traffic in the metropolis.
“The technology will address challenges ranging from collating information, inaccurate update delivery by our LASMA officials, the ever-changing dynamism of traffic information which still subsists,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu emphasised that “the digital cameras will help the station to get live update which will encourage real-time traffic reportage from the live cameras situated at strategic locations across the State.”
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso said the metropolitan nature of Lagos with ever-increasing population had made it imperative for the State to continue to innovate in addressing traffic situation in the State.
Omotoso, who is the Chief Host at the event stated that the metropolitan of Lagos with ever-increasing, rural-urban migration for the rapidly increasing population shows that the 3,567km landmass is often locked down.
The commissioner said with several innovations that had often been introduced in the station since its inception 11 years ago, it was an indication of the state government’s resolve to address challenges of traffic logjam in the State.
Omotoso added that with the latest innovation of having not less than 300 roads connected to the radio studio, it would address lateness of reports by the traffic managers.
General Manager, Traffic Radio, Tayo Akanle, said the innovation would boost traffic reportage and update, including travel advisories by providing real-time traffic information for the motoring public and commuters within and outside the State.
He stated that the initiative was in line with current realities and dynamism of a society like Lagos of which the deployment of new technology and innovations are components that would not only make the station more relevant but also serve its purpose.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
