Ogun TRACE promises officers training as CG bows out

The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency has said it will train its mid-level officers as part of an effort to enhance traffic management across the 18 traffic corridors in the state.

The TRACE Commander General, Seni Ogunyemi, disclosed this during a press briefing held at the agency’s headquarters in Abeokuta, the state capital, on Thursday.

The training, according to Ogunyemi, was part of activities lined up to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the agency.

Ogunyemi said, “As we celebrate TRACE at 20, we also commemorate the 10th edition of the Annual TRACE Commanders’ Conference, an initiative that was born out of the desire to enhance human capital development, foster synergy, share best practices, and drive policy development among senior officers, through the conglomeration of seasoned, erudite and cerebral professionals from the transportation sector and allied disciples

Over the past 10 years, this conference has become a critical think tank, shaping the direction of the agency and serving as a forum to review performance, set targets, and reinforce our vision and mission.”

He stated that the three-day event would also commemorate his retirement from the service of the agency.

Highlighting some of his achievements as the traffic management boss, Ogunyemi said that “under Human Capacity Resource Management, TRACE, under my watch, was professionalised with better career prospects for officers and men through training and retraining programmes, and membership in professional institutes and associations to advance their professional calling

He continued that the introduction of a 24-hour traffic management system led to a 31 per cent reduction in road fatalities and a 29 per cent reduction in serious crashes.

The TRACE CG added that the expansion of the agency through the creation of 27 new Operational Commands, comprising seven Area Commands, 12 Deputy Area Commands, and eight Corridor Commands, across the state’s geo-political traffic pattern also contributed to efficiency in traffic management.

He, however, lamented that the inadequate manpower within the agency has posed a challenge to its operation while stressing that the ongoing recruitment of 1000 officers, as approved by the state government, would enhance the capacity of the agency.

“However, the journey has not been without challenges, but through commitment and collaborative effort, we have made remarkable progress. One of our greatest challenges, apart from patrol vehicles, tow vehicles, power bikes and other safety tools is inadequate staff strength.

“But I am glad to report that the government is already looking into that through the approval for the recruitment of one thousand additional operatives to TRACE to bolster the capacity and capability of the agency. This process, nevertheless, is still ongoing,” Ogunyemi concluded.