Mr Olusegun Ogungbemide, the new Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Lagos State, says that its officers have been mandated to work under all weather conditions, to ease traffic gridlock in the state.

Ogungbemide, who took over from Mr Hyginus Omeje on June 11, made the remark on Thursday during the launch of the Command’s ‘Operation Visibility and Impact’ to ensure free flow of traffic during special conditions.

According to him, the Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, has provided officers and men of the corps with kits to work under any condition, to stop the excuse of seeking refuge from rain.

The sector commander, while leading officers to ensure smooth traffic, said that the intervention was holding across all the unit commands where it was raining.

“We are having a Special Patrol called Operation Visibility and Impact, where we want to go outside the routine to show reasonable visibility, that is attached to some occurrence like we have at present; gridlock everywhere because of rain and virtually everywhere is locked up.

“We thought of what prompt intervention to give in this special session that can give us positive result.

“We woke up this morning witnessing heavy flood and everywhere was full of gridlock and I thought this intervention can make a lot of difference for Lagosians.

“I told them (officers) that they don’t have any excuse under any condition. They are expected to work and perform because the corps marshal has been able to make provision for them as regards kits to work under all conditions,” he said.

Ogungbemide said that in spite of the intractable nature of the gridlock, the moment FRSC men came out to intervene, there was a remarkable difference.

“What we see most times is that when there is rain, the enforcement agencies do have a way of taking to cover, but now, with the provision of rain coats and boots, they are expected to assist Lagosians.

“What I have come to do now is to ask everybody to utilise every material that has been provided for them to work under this condition.

“As I talk, they have been given the mandate and are all over, especially at all the unit commands in all areas when it is raining.

“It is going to be regular, it is going to be continuous; as we as managing the township, we are managing the corridor,” he said.

Ogungbemide said that Lagos residents should rest assured that when there was any special condition like rainfall, FRSC officers would always be out to intervene.

According to him, running for cover during rainfall is believed to be one of the reasons why gridlock occurs at various intersections when it rains.

He said that FRSC would be intervening from time to time to address any overwhelming situation in the state, apart from managing the major highways.

Ogungbemide said that no fewer than 300 officers had been deployed for the intervention, working simultaneously across the state.