The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) has honoured two of its long-serving marine professionals, Prince Gbadamosi Hakeem and Captain Shakirudeen Lamidi, following their retirement from the Lagos State Civil Service.

The two men completed the statutory 35 years of public service, having spent much of their careers working in Lagos’ water transportation sector.

LASWA said their retirement marks the end of lengthy careers in marine operations, boat navigation and waterways safety.

Hakeem’s career in marine operations

Prince Gbadamosi Hakeem was a Marine Operations Supervisor at LASWA, where he was responsible for aspects of fleet operations and the deployment and operational readiness of boats.

According to LASWA, Hakeem also supervised boat captains and deckhands operating across the state’s waterways.

The authority said his colleagues often referred to him as “Number 1”, reflecting his long experience and role within the marine operations team.

Before joining LASWA, Hakeem began his public service career with the defunct Lagos State Ferry Corporation.

LASWA said his experience and institutional knowledge contributed to the training and mentoring of younger marine personnel.

Lamidi’s decades on Lagos waterways

Captain Shakirudeen Lamidi also began his career with the former Lagos State Ferry Corporation before joining LASWA in 2008.

He worked as a senior boat captain and accumulated decades of experience navigating Lagos waterways as the state’s water transportation system evolved.

LASWA described him as a respected mariner whose work focused on navigation, professionalism and waterways safety.

The authority also credited Lamidi with mentoring younger captains and helping to pass on practical knowledge about navigating Lagos’ waterways.

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Why the retirements matter

The departures come against the backdrop of Lagos’ continued reliance on waterways as an alternative means of transportation in a state where road congestion remains a major challenge.

Experienced marine personnel play a role not only in operating boats but also in maintaining safety standards and passing practical knowledge to newer generations of boat crews.

However, LASWA’s statement did not provide details on whether the retirees would be replaced immediately or how their responsibilities would be redistributed.

It also did not state whether either man would continue to work in an advisory or other capacity within the maritime sector.

LASWA pays tribute

The authority described both retirees as having contributed to the development of water transportation in Lagos State during their years of service.

LASWA thanked Hakeem and Lamidi for what it described as their “outstanding service” and wished them good health, happiness and fulfilment in retirement.

The authority also congratulated the two men as they begin a new phase of their lives.

What LASWA said

In its tribute, LASWA highlighted the retirees’ discipline, professional experience and commitment to waterways operations.

The authority said their careers had helped shape its marine operations and contributed to the development of personnel who continue to work in the sector.

For NigeriaUpdates, the development highlights not only the careers of two retiring public servants but also the importance of institutional knowledge and experienced personnel in maintaining safe and reliable water transportation.

Beyond traffic enforcement, LASTMA is undergoing a push towards professionalism, technology, accountability and public service but the durability of these changes will ultimately determine Olalekan Bakare-Oki’s legacy.

In Lagos, traffic management is about far more than keeping vehicles moving.

Every day, millions of journeys take place across the city’s highways, bridges and inner-city roads. The quality of traffic management affects how quickly people get to work, how businesses move goods, how emergency services respond to incidents and, ultimately, whether lives are saved.

It is against this backdrop that the leadership of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) under its General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, deserves attention.

In my view, his approach represents an attempt to redefine what Lagosians should expect from a modern traffic-management agency.

The objective should not be enforcement for its own sake.

A contemporary traffic agency must be professional, technologically capable, accountable and conscious that every interaction with a road user represents an interaction between government and citizen.

Redefining the LASTMA officer

The most important part of any institution is its people.

Technology can improve operations, but it cannot replace the judgement, discipline and professionalism of the officer standing on the road.

That is why training and retraining are central to the emerging philosophy at LASTMA.

The modern LASTMA officer should be equipped with more than the ability to direct traffic or enforce regulations.

He should understand crisis management, communication, emotional intelligence, ethical conduct, human rights and the psychology of road users.

This represents an important shift in institutional thinking.

The officer should not be seen only as an enforcer.

He should also be regarded as an ambassador of government, a custodian of public safety and, in many circumstances, a first responder.

Every encounter between an officer and a motorist can either strengthen public confidence or deepen distrust.

That places a significant responsibility on the officer.

From manual enforcement to intelligent mobility

Technology is perhaps the most visible aspect of the transformation I see taking place at LASTMA.

Surveillance cameras, drones, Traffic Management System devices, patrol vehicles, body-worn cameras, intelligent communication systems and command-and-control mechanisms are changing how traffic officers can monitor and respond to incidents.

The significance of this goes beyond acquiring modern equipment.

Technology gives an agency the opportunity to move from simply reacting to traffic problems to anticipating and managing them.

This matters particularly in Lagos.

A crash or broken-down vehicle can quickly turn a local obstruction into congestion across several adjoining roads. Early detection and rapid intervention can therefore save valuable time and prevent secondary incidents.

The newly inaugurated LASTMA toll-free short code, 3367, also provides another important link between the agency and the public.

The platform gives residents a direct channel through which they can report traffic incidents, complaints and commendations.

More importantly, it creates an opportunity for LASTMA to hear directly from the people it serves.

But technology must serve a purpose.

Its success should ultimately be judged by whether it improves response times, strengthens accountability and produces better outcomes for road users.

The human story behind the numbers

Traffic statistics can sometimes obscure the human consequences of what happens on Lagos roads.

Behind every crash is a person.

Behind every vehicle breakdown is a motorist who may be stranded in dangerous circumstances.

Behind every obstruction cleared is a road corridor that can return to productive use.

LASTMA reported that in 2024 it attended to 2,051 crashes involving 3,754 vehicles, rescued 1,075 people and responded to more than 5,100 vehicular breakdowns.

These figures demonstrate the scale of the responsibility carried by the agency.

Yet the significance of the work cannot be captured entirely in statistics.

A person reached by emergency responders in time may go home to a family that evening.

A secondary crash prevented by quickly clearing an obstruction may never appear in an official report.

For me, this humanitarian dimension is one of the most important aspects of traffic management.

The ultimate purpose is not simply to clear roads.

It is to protect people.

Accountability must accompany authority

Traffic officers exercise considerable authority.

That authority must come with accountability.

No enforcement institution can maintain public confidence if citizens believe that officers can act without consequences for misconduct.

This makes integrity and discipline essential to LASTMA’s future.

The position against corruption and professional misconduct must therefore extend beyond public statements.

It must be reflected in supervision, investigations, disciplinary procedures and the everyday conduct of officers.

The principle should be simple: authority must always be accompanied by responsibility.

Technology can assist this process.

Body-worn cameras, digital reporting systems and central monitoring can create better records of interactions between officers and road users.

But technology alone cannot guarantee integrity.

Management must also be willing to investigate complaints and take appropriate action when officers breach professional standards.

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Collaboration beyond the road

Traffic management does not happen in isolation.

LASTMA’s work intersects with the police, emergency services, transport unions, infrastructure agencies, community leaders and the media.

No single institution can solve Lagos’ traffic problems alone.

This is why stakeholder engagement matters.

The LASTMA Media Mayors initiative, for example, recognises the role journalists can play in public enlightenment.

A well-informed media can help explain traffic regulations, warn motorists about dangerous behaviour and communicate important changes to the public.

But collaboration should not mean the media becomes an extension of any government agency.

Journalists must retain their responsibility to question institutions, investigate complaints and hold public officials accountable.

That independence ultimately benefits both the public and the institutions being scrutinised.

What should define Bakare-Oki’s legacy?

Every public servant eventually faces the same question:

What remains after the office is gone?

An administrator may leave behind memories.

A transformative leader should leave behind systems.

For Bakare-Oki, the lasting test will therefore be whether the changes being pursued at LASTMA survive beyond his tenure.

Will professional training become part of the agency’s permanent culture?

Will technology remain embedded in daily operations?

Will accountability remain non-negotiable?

Will emergency response continue to improve?

Will Lagosians develop greater confidence in the officers they encounter on the roads?

These questions are more important than any title or accolade.

A legacy is not created simply because an administration introduces new equipment, launches initiatives or makes ambitious promises.

It is created when those initiatives become institutional practices that continue to deliver results.

More than traffic

The story of LASTMA is ultimately connected to the story of Lagos itself.

A city cannot sustain economic growth when people and goods cannot move efficiently.

Every hour lost in unnecessary congestion carries an economic cost.

Every road crash carries a human cost.

Every poorly handled interaction between an enforcement officer and a citizen can weaken trust in government.

That is why the effort to improve traffic management deserves attention beyond the agency itself.

If Bakare-Oki succeeds in embedding professionalism, technology, accountability and improved emergency response into LASTMA’s institutional culture, his contribution will extend beyond the period of his administration.

He will have helped move the agency from a narrow perception of traffic enforcement towards a broader understanding of traffic management as a public-service responsibility.

That, ultimately, is the real test of his tenure.

Not simply how many vehicles were moved.

Not simply how many violations were recorded.

But whether LASTMA becomes a more professional, accountable and trusted institution capable of meeting the mobility challenges of a rapidly changing Lagos.

That is why the Bakare-Oki story is bigger than traffic.

It is a story about institution-building.

And if the reforms endure after the man who introduced them has left office, then the legacy will not belong only to Bakare-Oki. It will belong to the institution he helped reshape and to the Lagosians who depend on it every day.

Lagos State has officially launched the Project Management, Operations and Design (PMOD) consultancy for the Omi Eko Project, moving ahead with plans to modernise water transportation through new infrastructure, electric ferries and improved passenger services.

The consultancy, inaugurated at a kick-off meeting in Lagos on Wednesday, will oversee project management, operational planning and technical design for one of the state’s largest investments in inland waterways.

Why it matters

Lagos is Africa’s most populous city and suffers chronic road congestion, with commuters often spending hours in traffic each day.

The state government believes expanding water transport could ease pressure on roads, shorten travel times and provide a cleaner alternative to road transport while opening up new economic opportunities.

Speaking at the meeting, the Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, described the consultancy as a key stage in delivering the project.

“The Omi Eko Project represents one of the most ambitious investments in inland waterways transportation in Africa. Beyond modern infrastructure and electric ferry technology, the project is designed to improve connectivity, reduce travel time, enhance passenger safety, stimulate economic activities and contribute meaningfully to environmental sustainability through cleaner transport solutions,” Osiyemi said.

He said the consultancy would provide technical leadership, operational guidance and project management expertise needed to deliver the project successfully.

According to the commissioner, the consultants will also coordinate stakeholders and support implementation throughout the project’s lifespan.

Osiyemi said the success of the project would depend on close collaboration between the Lagos State Government, development partners, consultants, contractors and host communities.

He thanked the French Development Agency (AFD), the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Union (EU) for supporting the state’s plans for sustainable urban mobility.

Consultants pledge international standards

Speaking on behalf of the PMOD consultancy, Planet SA’s Head of Delegation and Director of the International Unit, Dimitris Galanis, said the firm would deliver the assignment using international best practices.

“We are honoured to partner with the Lagos State Government and its development partners on this transformational project. Our team is committed to providing world-class project management, operational planning and technical expertise to ensure the successful implementation of the Omi Eko Project. We look forward to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to deliver a safe, efficient and sustainable water transport system that will benefit millions of Lagos residents,” he said.

Expert perspective

Transport and urban planning experts have long argued that Lagos can only address its growing traffic challenges by making greater use of its extensive waterways.

Analysts say successful investment in ferry terminals, modern vessels, safety systems and reliable operations could encourage more commuters to switch from road transport, reducing congestion and emissions across the city.

Public and industry perspective

Many Lagos residents already rely on ferries to avoid daily traffic, although concerns over safety, affordability and limited routes remain.

Operators within the marine transport sector have welcomed continued investment in waterways, saying improved infrastructure and stronger regulation could boost passenger confidence and attract private investment.

What’s next?

The PMOD consultancy will now begin detailed project management, operational planning and design work before implementation progresses to subsequent construction and operational phases.

The Lagos State Government says the Omi Eko Project will introduce modern infrastructure, electric ferry services and improved operational systems aimed at making water transport safer, cleaner and more efficient.