Buhari commissions Ikeja Bus Terminal, lauds Ambode’s rail reform initiatives

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday began his two-day official visit to Lagos State with the commissioning of an ultra-modern Ikeja Bus Terminal.

The terminal, an initiative of the state’s governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, was designed to redefine public transportation in line with the Bus Reform Initiative of the state government.

The president, accompanied to the facility by Governor Ambode and other government functionaries, lauded the state government for various initiatives aimed at catering for movement of the growing population of the state and making modern buses available to the people.

President Buhari particularly commended the governor for his developmental strides in the last three years, saying the projects were indeed laudable.

He acknowledged the vision of Lagos state government to revamping the railway transportation system, even as the president noted that the Federal Government had outlined a plan for a-Pan African Railway Transportation.

“I commend the governor for development and strides he recorded within the first three years of governance. I recognise the push of the state government in reforming public transportation especially the Bus Reform Project which will make modern transport buses that are air-conditioned available to the people.

“I acknowledge the vision of Lagos state government to revamping the railway transportation system. Presently, we have outlined in new-year message of the plan for a-Pan African Railway Transportation. I commend Lagos State for also developing rail infrastructure to cater for movement of its growing population,” the president said.

While assuring that the Federal Government’s plan for transport infrastructure especially with the ports being strictly adhered to, the president said his administration remained committed to the development of the country, in order to further stabilise the economy, create an enabling environment for job creation, tackle security and draw Nigeria to acceptability.

Governor Ambode, earlier in his remark, said the Ikeja Bus Terminal signposts the commitment of his administration to reform public transportation infrastructure and management in the state.

According to him, the vision remains the provision of a functional, efficient and integrated transport system to support the populace and facilitate commerce, adding that the first phase of this programme would see 13 new bus terminals introduced, including major terminals at Oshodi, Yaba, Ojota, Agege and the already completed Tafawa Balewa Bus Terminal.

This was just as he disclosed that the state government had commenced the introduction of 5,000 new buses into the Lagos economy in the next 3 years and would inject 820 environmentally-friendly high capacity buses in the first phase of the reform by September 2018, while 300 new bus stops, 3 bus depots, and Intelligent Transport System that would aid Lagosians to plan their journeys on our public transport system were in pipeline.

“In the last three years, we have committed to revamping and providing a new integrated transport system to support our growing population. We have initiated and completed the provision of infrastructure that is scalable and would support the daily needs of our people to meet their connectivity and mobility needs.

“The Ikeja Bus Terminal is one of our flagship transport infrastructure under the State Bus Reform Initiative. The first phase of this programme will see 13 new Bus terminals introduced including major terminals at Oshodi, Yaba, Ojota, Agege and the already completed Tafawa Balewa Bus Terminal.

“We have commenced the introduction of 5,000 new buses into the Lagos economy in the next 3 years. We will inject 820 environmentally-friendly high capacity buses in the first phase of this reform by September 2018, 300 New Bus Stops, 3 Bus Depots, and Intelligent Transport System which will aid Lagosians to plan their journeys on our public transport system,” the governor said.

Governor Ambode specifically thanked President Buhari for approving import-duty waiver received on the buses in the phase one of the schemes, saying that arrangement was now in place for the buses to be assembled in Lagos within the next 20 months, adding that this would, in turn, create jobs for the people.

The governor said aside bus and road transportation reform, the state government was also promoting Non-Motorised Transport such as walking and cycling paths to give the people modal choices while promoting healthy living, just as he said that the rail transport infrastructure was being put in place.

“Work is ongoing on the 27-kilometre Blue Line Rail project from Okokomaiko West of Lagos to Marina in Central Lagos. We are in discussions with various investors and stakeholders on our urban rail project, the Red Line from Alagbada to Marina.

“Mr President, the success of a highly populated, a cosmopolitan smart city-state like Lagos is strongly dependent on the efficiency of its transportation system. We are committed to a functional, efficient and integrated transport system which will support our population and facilitate our commerce and we will continually work till we achieve this objective,” the governor said.

The Ikeja Bus Terminal, which is estimated to convey about 200,000 passengers daily across 23 destinations, has been fitted with all aspects of public transport operations such as buses, passengers’ insurance, 13 ticketing boots, route licensing, terminal bus attendants and operating companies.

Apart from eliminating all the previous chaos and difficulties associated with boarding bus to different locations, the facility which is sitting on 10,000 square metres land space, is equipped with Intelligent Transport System (ITS), food court, shops, rest rooms, ATM Gallery, free Wi-Fi, electronically controlled shades, fully air-conditioned terminal, among others.

The ITS enables would-be passengers to know the arrival and departure time of buses from the comfort of their homes, offices or anywhere and properly plan their journey.

Statistics show that over 12million Lagosians and 80million Nigerians use public transportation daily without standard facilities and the Ikeja Bus Terminal is one of the 13 designed to change the narrative in Lagos by exposing the people to befitting and comfortable environment to commute across the state.

Meanwhile, President Buhari said on Thursday that an estimated $2.23 billion dollars are expected to be injected into the economy in terms of construction and fixed assets, with the completion of the Lekki Deep Sea Port.

According to the president, who led the flag off ceremony for the construction of the Lekki Deep Sea Port project, this amount is expected to rise to an aggregate of $3.61 billion over a 45-year concession period in the Nigerian economy.

The president, who was represented by Vice President Yemi Oshinbajo, while highlighting other benefits of the project, said projects like this were important to the presidency, especially because it was in tandem with government’s plans to diversify the nation’s economy.

The president, who is on a two-day working visit to Lagos, also attended the colloquium marking the 66th birthday of APC leader and former governor of Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, at the Eko Hotel and Suites.

“I am delighted to be here for the commissioning of this ground breaking project. I understand that this will be the largest Deep Sea Port in Sub-Sahara Africa, with all that has been put in place here. It is commendable to note that over 170,000 direct and indirect jobs will be created as a result of this project.

“This is important to us because it is in sync with our economic and recovery plan. Our plan is to create a private sector-driven economy, which is crucial. In this case, the Lagos State government and the Nigerian Ports Authority are the face of government.

“We will continue to create an enabling environment for such businesses to thrive. I commend the Honourable Minister of Transport, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, for his zeal. He always brings up the matter in the cabinet. I commend all the stakeholders involved, I know there’ll be challenges but we will continue to support you,” he said.

Lagos State deputy governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule, who represented the governor of Lagos, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, said, in order to provide berthing for larger vessels, which is the growing global trend in the containership sector, the Lekki Port will be equipped with the best infrastructure and terminal services to attract and maintain large volume of shipping line customers.

On the economic potentials of the project, she said: “An estimated $2.23 billion dollars is expected to be injected into the economy in terms of construction and fixed assets, with the completion of the Lekki Deep Sea Port. This amount is expected to rise to an aggregate of $3.61 billion over a 45-year concession period in the Nigerian economy.”

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According to her, the container terminal will have a 1,200m long quay, three container berths and a storage yard with over 15,000 ground slots, adding that the terminal was designed to support a 2.5 million TEUs annually.

She described the president’s visit as an eloquent testimony of his support for economic growth, saying that the maritime sector had the potential to turn around the economy and was expected to be delivered in 2020.

“The Lekki Deep Sea Port with all the facilities will ease the pressure on Apapa and Tin Can ports. This journey started in 2007 and it has been eventful and challenging. It is expected that 170,000 direct and indirect jobs Wii be created as a result of this project,” she said.

The Chief Executive Officer of Lekki Port, LFTZ Enterprise, Mr Navin Nahata, commended the Lagos State government and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the major stakeholders in the development of the Lekki Port project, for their unwavering support so far on the project.

He noted that the commencement of construction and the quick progress recorded so far could not have been possible without these stakeholders.

Nahata also commended the Minister of Transportation, Hon. Amaechi, as well as other regulatory agencies for their commitment to making the port a reality, just as he expressed gratitude to the host communities for being peaceful and supportive.

He assured all stakeholders especially the shareholders that Lekki Port and its strategic partners would work assiduously to deliver a world-class port that would make Nigeria the transhipment hub for West Africa.

Speaking, Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Co-operatives, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, assured the management of Lekki Port of the unwavering commitment of the Governor Akinwumi Ambode-led administration towards the actualisation of the project.

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms Hadiza Bala Usman, in her own remark, reaffirmed the support and partnership of the Federal Government to the project through the Ports Authority, just as she lauded the company for its excellent stakeholder engagement policy.