Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun yesterday launched the state Mass Bus Transit System to enhance intra and inter city transportation.
The official launch of the buses fitted with Wifi and other gadgets, the governor said, was in line with the transport master plan aimed at providing efficient and affordable means of moving people from one location to another.
The event was attended by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
Speaking at the event held at the Arcade Ground, Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Abiodun said a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would soon be signed between the state and a private firm for the building of Olokola Seaport.
“It is important to know that the whole essence of the transportation master plan is for us to efficiently move people either intra-state or inter-state. We are the industrial capital of this country and neighbour to the biggest economy, which is Lagos State. We see the cross border migration everyday and the trouble our people go through.
“Our transportation master plan has proffered suggestions and solutions for us to deal with this. Today, we are launching these mass transit buses. The pilot phase will start from Abeokuta and we will expand it to other cities,” the governor said.
He said his administration is also developing a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lanes, in conjunction with the Lagos State Government, under the Lagos-Ogun Joint Development Cooperation, adding that the state buses would move people from Abeokuta through Mowe, Kara axis to Marina as well as from Ifo and Ado Odo-Ota axis to Lagos and vice versa.
“Very soon, we will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding with a private sector player for the construction of the long awaited Olokola Port. The Olokola Port will soon be a reality. We are also committed to having water transportation by having water taxies.
“This is why we have come up with a multi-modal Transportation Master Plan that we launch today. This transport policy takes into consideration the short, medium and long term approaches to the development of our transport sector. This will include road, rail, water and air transportation plans for the state,” he said.
Amaechi hailed the Abiodun administration for operating a purposeful government, saying all the legacy projects carried out by the governor would continue to speak for him after leaving office.
The minister, who reiterated the commitment of the government at the centre in improving on transportation system across the country, said the construction of Lagos-Calabar rail line that would pass through Lekki Deep Seaport down to Epe township, would soon begin.
Former governor of the state and a stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Olusegun Osoba, who spoke on behalf of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, noted that Abeokuta had always been a commercial centre, adding that with the launch of the mass transit buses, the current administration had succeeded in restoring the past glory of the state in terms of transportation.
The Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, hailed the state government for providing modern system of transportation, noting that the scheme would alleviate the suffering of the people.