Fashola Promises To Sack Commissioners Who Use Siren

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, western Nigeria, has vowed to sack any of his commissioners who will dare to use siren while driving on the state’s roads and urges all public officers in the country to desist from using siren.

Fashola, who spoke at the National Council on Transportation on Thursday at the Civic Centre, Lagos, lamented the unscrupulous way public officers made use of siren indiscriminately on the road.

The governor said since he did not use siren, he did not expect any of his commissioners to use it, as he would wield the big stick on anyone who violated his order.

“From the day that I have become governor in this state and until this moment, I haven’t had course to use it and I don’t intend to use it. I detest noise, but I think that it is even worse that people elect us to manage public transport on their behalf and we choose to escape from it.

“After riding in a free car paid for coupled with the free fuel, it is an abdication of duty. It must apply across the board. At least at the state level, I can speak. My commissioners have very clear order; they will lose their job if they do,” he vowed.

“Let us get rid of all these sirens. They aren’t made here. We buy them to enrich other economy. They were made in factories outside the country. And then we use loud horn, especially the one used during emergency. Are we in a state of perpetual emergency? If those who manage the public transport policy can get away by using sirens, it will never work.”