The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority says it will introduce a short code to enable residents, especially motorists, to contact the agency and report traffic situations across the state.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Lagos.

According to him, the agency is replacing the current long phone number with a simpler and free short code service.

“The agency is working on ensuring that we get a short code instead of the long digit that is currently running.

“In the next two to three weeks, our call centre will come up with a short code that will be free. We have done all the necessary details; we are just waiting for the final approval from the network provider,” he said.

Bakare-Oki said the short code would allow Lagos residents to engage the agency and provide useful information.

He added that machinery and equipment were already being installed to support the service.

According to him, residents would be able to report the conduct of traffic officers, emergencies, traffic congestion, complaints, feedback, and other relevant issues.

He also said LASTMA’s digital call centre currently has 10 responders and can attend to residents in Yoruba, English, and other local languages.
 

Bakare-Oki noted that the agency enjoys strong collaboration with other emergency response bodies, including the Lagos State Ambulance Service, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency.

“There is an inter-agency collaboration that is top-notch, and that is how we can address emergency and traffic issues in the state,” he said.

He disclosed that between January and March, the agency received almost 300 calls.

He, however, explained that there had been a shortfall due to the ongoing integration of the short code into the agency’s system.

“The system has been experiencing downtime because of the integration.

“We give the assurance that in the next two to three weeks, we will be back on board strong and with better service delivery to Lagos residents,” he said.