…As Head of Service says continuous training is key to public safety and effective traffic management.
The Oyo State Government has trained no fewer than 250 Commanders and Ticketing Officers of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA) in a bid to strengthen ethical conduct, resilience, and effective traffic management across the state.
The training was held during a one-day seminar themed “Steadfast Service: Building Resilient, Ethical and Effective Traffic Management.”
The event featured a keynote address by the Head of Service of Oyo State, Mrs. Olubunmi Oni, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Service, Policy and Strategy, Office of the Head of Service, Mr. Taiwo Mustapha.
Speaking at the seminar, Mr. Mustapha described effective road traffic management as a critical driver of public safety and sound risk control.
He commended the leadership of OYRTMA for prioritizing capacity building, stressing that continuous training remains essential for improved service delivery.
According to him, “If you don’t train them, you cannot blame them,” describing the seminar as timely and commendable.
He also praised the choice of the seminar theme, noting that resilience is central to the success of any organization. While acknowledging challenges such as motivation concerns and workplace pressures faced by OYRTMA officers, Mr. Mustapha urged participants to rise above these constraints by developing both personal and institutional resilience.
He explained that resilience requires self-motivation, commitment, and dedication, even in challenging environments, adding that the workforce remains the most critical factor in determining the success or failure of any organization.
“The chairman and management may be doing everything possible, but if the workforce fails to actualize their vision, it will amount to nothing,” he said, describing officers as the backbone of the Authority.
The Permanent Secretary further emphasized the importance of ethical conduct, stating that public perception of traffic officers is shaped largely by their behavior on duty. He called for strict adherence to professional ethics in order to sustain public trust and guarantee effective service delivery.
Mr. Mustapha encouraged officers to maximize available resources despite operational limitations and stressed the need for collaboration with other stakeholders, particularly in addressing challenges such as malfunctioning traffic lights, which often generate public complaints directed at OYRTMA.
He also urged officers to embrace job satisfaction and contentment, noting that despite existing challenges, OYRTMA officers are better positioned compared to many others in the public service. He emphasized the need for ethical standards and professional discipline at all times.
Addressing management, Mr. Mustapha advocated for flexible and responsive deployment strategies, emphasizing the need for strategic traffic control across all parts of Ibadan, including weekends, while ensuring balanced personnel distribution.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman, Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority, urged officers across the state to embrace resilience, ethical conduct, and professionalism in the discharge of their duties.
He described the officers as critical change agents within the Authority, stressing that their participation in the seminar was pivotal to achieving institutional progress and improved service delivery.
According to him, the seminar theme was a deliberate and urgent call to action aimed at addressing the realities of modern traffic management, including congestion, infrastructural gaps, motorists’ behavioral challenges, and the pressure of operating under constant public scrutiny.
“We cannot rely on old paradigms,” he said. “We must be resilient to withstand pressure, ethical to command public trust, and effective to deliver tangible results.”
The Chairman explained that the seminar was structured into four modules designed to strengthen professionalism within the Authority while the first module focused on leadership, command responsibility, and discipline, emphasizing accountability and exemplary conduct.
The second module addressed ethical conduct, integrity, and public trust, particularly for ticketing officers who interact directly with motorists, described integrity as the most important badge of an officer, warning that public trust, once lost, is difficult to regain.
The third module centred on psychological resilience, stress management, and emotional regulation, acknowledging the mental demands of traffic control duties noting that resilient officers are more effective, compassionate, and safer in their operations.
The final module focused on operational effectiveness, technical competence, and quality service delivery, encouraging officers to embrace innovation and see themselves as facilitators rather than obstacles to the public.
He further described the facilitators at the seminar as catalysts for institutional transformation across OYRTMA units and formations, charging participants to actively engage in the sessions and apply the lessons learned beyond the seminar.
In his address, the resource person, Mr. Kayode Ogundeji, described the training as a continuous capacity-building exercise aimed at enhancing professional effectiveness. He noted that learning remains a lifelong process, especially in the face of rapid societal and global changes.
According to him, the programme was not an indication of incompetence among participants, but an opportunity to improve existing skills and adopt new approaches for better outcomes.
In his goodwill message, the General Manager, Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority, Mr. Adeoye Adekola, urged participants to prepare themselves mentally, remain attentive, and fully embrace the knowledge to be shared, expressing confidence that the seminar would be impactful.
Earlier, the Chairman, Oyo State Civil Service Commission, Alhaji Kamorudeen Aderibigbe, admonished the OYRTMA Chairman to recruit more marshals to enhance operational efficiency across the state.
He commended the Authority for its effective role in improving traffic management in Oyo State.
Dignitaries at the event included the Commissioner for Establishment and Training, Prof. Soliu Adelabu; the Chairman, Oyo State Civil Service Commission, Alhaji Kamorudeen Aderibigbe; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance; and the General Manager, Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority, Mr. Adeoye Adekola.