Lagos targets ease of public transportation to stimulate economy

Lagos State government says it is working on strategies including advocacy and partnership with private sector players to ease public transportation with the aim of stimulating economic growth.
Olanrewaju Elegushi, acting commissioner for transportation, who spoke at the second edition of Lagos Traffic Radio lecture series with the theme, ‘support system for public transportation: the Lagos State perspective,’ said this was being done in recognition that good transportation system was sine qua non to economic growth and development.
According to Elegushi, the emphasis is on the efficiency with which commuters move their goods and services from one location to another as obtainable in other parts of the world.
Although he admitted the complex nature of public transportation in Lagos, he nevertheless, stated that the determination of government to overcome the challenge, explaining that a lot more had been done to ensure the smooth flow of traffic through the establishment state traffic management agencies.
The acting commissioner disclosed that the present administration at inception, embarked on on-the-spot assessment of roads across the state to enable so as to fashion out maintenance strategies and the construction of new ones, adding that the construction of bus terminals and ferry jetties, lay-bys, and other infrastructural renewal projects explains the commitment of the government to road safety and socio-economic development of the state.
Towards further re-energising the transportation sector, the commissioner stated that an integrated public transportation system will soon kick start with a N30 billion sinking fund for the bus reform project, the highlight of which is the provision, over a 3-year period, of 5,000 buses with carriage capacity of between 30-70 people that will be operated through franchise in multiples of 50, 100 and 200 buses.
Steve Ayorinde, commissioner for information and strategy, represented by Biola Fagunwa, director, information production in the ministry, said the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had in the last two years opened up the state to a better and more efficient road network with the extensive constructions in the state.

 

JOSHUA BASSEY