Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has said that his administration will from May commence operation of Bus Mass Transit services to Lagos and major towns in the state. This is said to be followed soon with rail services.
Gov Dapo Abiodun disclosed this while receiving reports on the transportation sector christened "Abeokuta Urban Transport Policy" from the Head, United Kingdom Prosperity Fund, Nigeria Office, Miss Martha Bostock and the Strategic Transport Intervention Plan for Ogun State.
The Transport Steering committee is headed by the State Commissioner for Transportation, Gbenga Dairo, with support by the Department of Transport Planning & Management, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye.
The governor noted that the Bus Mass Transit was deliberately conceptualised to improve quality of life by reducing travel time, improving local air quality, curbing greenhouse gas emissions, and preventing road fatalities and crashes.
Abiodun reiterated that the present administration was poised towards achieving an effective multimodal transportation system, adding that the state government had embarked on various strategies in achieving effective transportation system by rehabilitating both urban and rural roads.
He further stated that the flag-off of Ogun State Bus Mass Transit Scheme would commence in May, while light rail services in the State would commence, as soon as discussions are concluded with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and Lagos State to take full advantage of rail infrastructure within Ogun for the development of the state.
The governor, who commended the committee for painstakingly carrying out its assignment towards the growth of the state transportation sector, promised his government would ensure proper implementation of the committee’s report.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Transportation, Gbenga Dairo expressed confidence in the reports of the committee and the partnership with United Kingdom Prosperity Fund, which he said would facilitate considerable resource allocation and investment in the Ogun State transport sector.
Dairo disclosed that Lagos Red Line from Oyingbo to Alagbado would be extended further into Ogun passing through Ijoko to Kajola/Ifo in Ado-Odo/Ota and Ifo Local Government Areas of the state.
He added that discussions with the NRC would not only connect the proposed Cargo Airport with the new Lagos to Ibadan rail and the proposed East-West line along Shagamu-Benin Expressway.
This line, according to Dairo, would berth new rail stations at Ijoko, Itori, Obada-Oko, Osiele and Odeda, while branch lines at Ijoko, Kajola and Papalanto would serve economic development zones in the state.
Speaking on the corridors of operation of the State BRT Services, the Commissioner said inter State BRT services would be between Shagamu-Mowe and Lagos as well as Ota and Lagos, with Park and Ride Services on the Mowe-Ibafo-Lagos corridor, while Inter city bus mass transit services would start with hub at Abeokuta, connecting services to Ijebu Ode, Shagamu, Ilaro and Ota.
In her remark, Head of the United Kingdom Prosperity Fund, Miss Martha Bostock, expressed the readiness of the UK authorities to offer technical assistance to Ogun state in building capacity in its transport department for development and sustainability, urging that government should initiate legislation framework that would make the project implementation successful and also facilitate foreign support.
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