LASTMA Begins Refresher Training to Improve Officers’ Conduct

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, has commenced a three-day refresher training for its officers as part of efforts to strengthen professionalism, accountability and public service delivery across Lagos.

The programme focuses on key areas including professional conduct, courtesy, empathy and responsible engagement with motorists and other road users.

The training comes as LASTMA continues efforts to improve the quality of interaction between its personnel and members of the public while carrying out traffic management duties across the state.

The agency has increasingly placed emphasis on human capacity development, recognising that traffic officers routinely operate in high-pressure environments where effective communication, emotional control and professionalism are essential.

A similar in-house training programme for LASTMA senior officers earlier this year focused on emotional management, professional etiquette and time management. The programme was designed to improve officers’ ability to remain calm under pressure, communicate respectfully with motorists and maintain discipline while on duty.

LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, has previously stressed that the effectiveness of the authority depends significantly on the discipline, professionalism and emotional stability of its personnel.

The agency has also said officers are expected to uphold standards that promote public trust and strengthen LASTMA’s institutional credibility.

The latest refresher training is therefore expected to reinforce those standards among personnel, with particular attention to courteous treatment of road users and appropriate responses during difficult traffic situations.

LASTMA’s official guidelines state that motorists are entitled to fair, respectful and lawful treatment when stopped by an officer. The agency says its officials should be courteous and professional and should explain the reason for a traffic stop to the affected road user.

The authority has also strengthened channels through which members of the public can report traffic incidents and the conduct of its personnel. In June, LASTMA introduced the toll-free 3367 hotline, which allows residents to report traffic emergencies as well as concerns about the professionalism and operational conduct of officers.

The emphasis on accountability comes against the backdrop of longstanding concerns over the conduct of some traffic enforcement personnel. LASTMA has previously warned officers against corruption and other forms of misconduct, while maintaining that erring personnel would face disciplinary measures.

Beyond enforcement, LASTMA is responsible for managing traffic, responding to road incidents and educating road users across Lagos. The agency says its wider objective is to keep the state moving safely and efficiently while ensuring that road users are treated fairly.

The three-day programme is expected to strengthen officers’ capacity to perform these responsibilities while improving their relationship with motorists, pedestrians and other stakeholders.

Through continued training and retraining, the authority is seeking to build a more disciplined and service-oriented workforce capable of managing Lagos’ complex traffic environment with greater professionalism and accountability.