The Nation Newspaper

Category: Transportation

  • Fashola endorses ongoing road projects

    The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, last Thursday, expressed satisfaction at the pace of work at the ongoing rehabilitation of Ejigbo-Isheri-Osun-Ijegun road and bridges. Fashola, who monitored the progress with members of the state executive council, said despite the complex nature of the project, the contractor has carried on with a good measure of speed.

    According to him, when completed, the road and bridges which connect Ejigbo LCDA and Igando-Ikotun LCDA, would reduce journey time spent by residents around the area.

    He said: “We are in Ijegun and in Ijedodo and this is the service that we are providing by trying to link Ejigbo to the other parts of Alimosho, Pipeline, Aboru and all of those long winding journeys. This road would significantly reduce journey time by a really long stretch when it is finally finished and we are inching along and making progress.”

    The governor explained that the last time he checked the details on the road, it was really a bed of swamp, hence it required piles that were driven as long as 34 metres deep with about 1,022 piles driven into the depths to ensure an enduring bridge.

    He described the construction process as a complex engineering work  spread over a length of six kilometres and about 1.2 km of a network of bridges. He then sought to know from critics if the Isheri-Osun-Jakande Estate Road located in the innermost parts is also for the elites.

    The governor was accompanied by Commissioners for Works and Infrastructure, Dr Obafemi Hamzat; Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Ben Akabueze;  Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye; Establishments Training and Pensions, Mrs. Florence Oguntuashe and Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure, Engineer Ganiyu Johnson, among others.

  • Lagos accountants join advocacy for effective traffic management

    he Lagos State Public Service chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) has advocated for effective implementation of the state’s Traffic and Environmental Laws.

    Its Chairman, Mr. Odunsanya Olutope, while speaking at the fourth annual lecture of the Institute, said effective implementation of the the law in a megacity such as Lagos will restore order to the society.

    This year’s topic:  “Effective implementation of Traffic and Environmental laws: panacea to an orderly society”,according to him, was chosen to identify the challenges ahead of managing traffic and environmental issues in a megacity such as Lagos.

    “The topic is also chosen to display our commitment to other sectors of the economy that are not accounting,” he said.

    The guest lecturer, Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, said several factors contributed to the effective implementation of the amended road traffic law.

    He said the law has been in existence, but lacked the required structure to make it effective.

    He said in repealing the old law, the government took these factors into consideration and consulted different stakeholders.

    Opeifa said over 90 stakeholders’ fora were held before the passage of the law, adding that the implementation has “changed the way we live and do things while behind the wheel”.

    Its implementation, he said, has reduced death and decreased cases of violation of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lanes.

    Professor Babajide Alo, in his presentation, said environmental legislations have to be efficient and effective.

    He said the laws must be reasonable, practical and people-oriented. “Fulfilment of legal requirements starts with effective compliance measures and improved administrative control and participation,” he said.

  • New deal for commuters

    New deal for commuters

    • Jonathan inaugurates rail cars June 6

    Are you one of those pessimists who has foreclosed that modern rail coaches will ever run on the rail tracks across the country?

    That pessimism will give way on Friday, as commuters will have a feel of new rail cars, running on Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) engines, five of which will be inaugurated by President Goodluck Jonathan at the Iddo Territorial Headquarters yard of the Nigeria Railway Corporation.

    For an administration battling with change, the new rail cars, the first in the annals of rail transportation in Nigerian is the realisation of a rare feat showcasing the Federal Government’s commitment to making the railway the hub of mass transportation across the nation.

    For the NRC management, the new rolling stock is the culmination of a dream that began five years ago, when the Managing Director Prince Adeseyi Sijuwade, took over. The new equipment which arrived last month is the first out of the 12, that the corporation ordered in 2012.

    From a giant with dysfunctional rolling stock, which runs only two skeletal shuttles between Lagos and Ogun states, despite the over N3 trillion invested by successive administrations over the last two decades, Sijuwade began a process of rehabilitation that saw the management embarking on massive repairs of the old engines, coaches and wagons, as well as the simultaneous rehabilitation of the old narrow gauge rail lines which were in various stages of rot, disuse and abandonment across the country, as part  of the first phase of the revival master plan for the corporation.

    Within two years, the trains which many Nigerians regarded as “dead” or “moribund,” came back to life, first with an invigorated and more visible local shuttle service between Iddo in Lagos to Ijoko, an Ogun State suburb, which it moved from two round trips daily to eight, providing commuting services to no less than 16,000 passengers daily from about a thousand hitherto.

    In 2012, it began the intercity shuttle, running the train from Kano to Lagos on the newly rehabilitated western rail line. By last year, due to the huge patronage by commuters, it increased the frequency of the shuttle to three, while Sijuwade said efforts are in top gear to reduce its current shuttle time of 72 hours by 30 per  cent.

    While the corporation has continued to perform these wonders on the old run-down coaches and engines which were rehabilitated with functional scraps by local engineers, the rail cars which would be deployed to run the Lagos/Ogun metro shuttle is the first new passenger rolling stock to be delivered by the current NRC management to Nigerians, and might have signalled the commencement of the second phase of the rail development that would address the expansion and installation of the standard gauge rail lines across the country on which more modern and faster coaches could run.

    This accomplishment is a booster to the record of NRC Board Chairman Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, who assumed the saddle with a declaration to make the corporation a success story.

    He said: “We are prepared to make the railway successful. We are ready to begin the process of unbundling the corporation and just like what we saw when the electronics media was privatised or when telecommunications was unbundled, we are going to witness same phenomenon in the railway sector.”

    Though the rail cars were ordered by the former Alhaji Kawu Baraje leadership of the NRC, its roll out is in sync with the visions of Tukur, his successor, who believes that the future of modern rail transportation in the country rests on fresh funds injection from the private sector.

    With a population of 170 million, the NRC, which is the sole provider of railway services across the country (no thanks to the Nigeria Railway Act 1955), has on its fleet, only 84 locomotives, 800 wagons, and 170 coaches. Out of this, only 29 locomotives, 250 wagons and 120 coaches are in working condition and functioning, while about 550 wagons, 50 coaches and 55 locomotives are in various obsolete stages.

    This has left the NRC with a huge perception burden as it continued to be avoided by the nation’s middle class. One of such who vowed never to board the rail again is Mr. Oladunjoye Kayode, a business man who ventured to use the train from Mushin to Fagba, recently.

    He said: “I was persuaded to buy the train ticket by one of my workers who praised the executive coach of the train to high heavens. I bought the ticket and was looking forward to a new experience, but my expectation was soon shattered as the executive coach was soon flooded with all manners of people. Miscreants entered with us into what was an executive coach and soon passengers were standing on each other, holding on to the guard rails. I also saw some daring pickpockets picking people’s money and other materials. Before I disembarked, I saw so much that I was disgusted and I made up my mind never to use the train again.”

    But the Assistant Director of Public Relations Mr. David Ndakotsu, said it is for people like this that the new rail cars were being deployed, especially in Lagos. “With fewer coaches on each DMU engines, commuters are in for a new experience. With a ticket pegged at N750, the rail coach is unarguably for business executives and the middle class, who are frustrated by the man-hour lost daily to traffic snarl on the roads across the state,” he said.

  • Lagos hands over 2.9km dual carriage intra-city road

    The delivery of a 2.9km Yaya Abatan road expanded into a dual carriageway to Ifako-Ijaiye residents last Thursday has been described by the Lagos State Governor Mr. Babatunde Fashola as the true meaning and value of democracy.

    He said the road which is meant to make transportation a pleasurable experience would improve the standard of living and aid growth.

    He, therefore, challenged residents to take ownership of the road by maintaining it, saying the facility is meant to have a 25-year life span. He also urged people to stop dumping refuse into the drains or trade on the walkways which according to him, is meant for pedestrians.

    “Trading on the walkways exposes your children to danger of being run over by motorists and this must be prevented at all cost. Let us cultivate the culture of keeping the walkways clear of any encumbrances that might lead to more pains. This road is meant to improve your quality of life and not to cause more sorrow and anguish,” the governor said.

    Fashola praised the contractor, Messrs Arab Contractors, for delivering a world class road on deadline, even as he urged other contractors working with the government to borrow a leave from them.

    Fashola, who described the road as another dividend of tax payment, said tax -paying Lagosians should be wearing their tax cards as a badge of honour. He equally called on all those who earn a living but are yet to begin  paying taxes to join the army of tax payers with which more funds would be available for the provision of world class infrastructure across the state.

    “I urge all those who earn a living without paying salaries to have a rethink because their actions are denying us the capacity to do more for the state,” he said.

    He said he is proud that from Lagos Island to the fringes of the state, government is handing over world class infrastructure and projects that had gone to a great length in emphasising that only the best is good for the people of the state.

    Earlier, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Dr. Obafemi Kadiri Hamzat, said government’s intervention was part of its Strategic Inner Road Development Programme, which identifies critical high volume traffic bearing roads for upgrade and reconstruction. The road, he said, links Ogba Ijaiye to Iju road, with several access roads such as Oyemekun Street, Kayode Street, Orimolade Street, Obawole road and College Road connected to it.

    Hamzat said while the phase 1 was completed December last year, the second phase which extends from Haruna Bus Stop to Excellence Hotel junction was awarded in April to the same firm.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infratructure Mr. Ganiyu Abiodun Johnson in his vote of thanks said the road is another milestone in the numerous achievements of the government in utilising tax payers o the benefit of Lagosians.

  • Pupils get road safety training

    Scores of school children converged on the Federal Road Safety Commission’s office, in Ota, an Ogun State suburb on May 27, with prayers for divine intervention in the rescue and  safety of the over 200 Chibok schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram over 47 days ago.

    The students from different secondary schools in the environment raised their hands in the direction of Sambisa forest and sought God’s direction  in the affairs of the girls.

    The Ota Unit Commander, Mr Sunday Omafu, while speaking on the theme: “Treasuring our children through road safety awareness,” said the day was organised to spread safety awareness to children, parents and motorists.

    He said: “In Nigeria, school children are exposed to risk and dangers of being killed or maimed on the road due to drivers’ reckless driving. Because children are vulnerable, there must be concerted effort to protect and keep them away from harm and danger in order not to jeopardise the future of the nation.”

    The FRSC boss said it is unlawful for under-aged children who are yet to understand basic traffic rules and regulations, such as road signs, road markings and signals, to cross the roads without being accompanied by an adult, while no one below 18 years are eligible to drive. Equally, adults over 70 years are no longer expected to drive again.

    He advised children “not to be crossing the road in between parked vehicles,” as it will be difficult for drivers to sight them, especially at blind spots.

    Omafu, urged school owners to ensure school buses are road worthy, adding that the FRSC will arrest and impound any school bus that is not worthy of carrying school children. He stressed that drivers are expected to always obey the traffic rules, as no driver is expected to drive roughly or under the influence of alcohol. He also warned against over speeding, over loading, and the use of worn-out tyres .

    The guest speaker, the Managing Director, Skiddo Foods Limited, Mrs Julia Shinaba, advised children to practise what was being taught and imbibe attitudinal change that can keep them safe on the road.

    Quiz competition and drama presentation were organised for  schools present  just as they were exposed to some FRSC road signs and tips.

    Divine Wisdom International School, Iyesi Ota, emerged winner of junior class category, while Jacobs High School, Ifo, emerged winner of senior category.

    The Secretary, Ifo Local Government Mrs Kikelomo Delano and the Iyalode of  Ota, Chief (Mrs) Jakie A. Kessim, advised children to always be safety conscious on the road.

    Chief Kessim urged drivers to drive carefully while on the road and to place children on safer side of their vehicles while loading.

    The schools present were: Adeclaims Kiddies Nursery and Primary, Ota, De-Genius Nur/Pry, Ayetoro, Unity Model School, Lemode, Ijoko, Jacobs High School, Ifo; Happy Kids Academy; Ilo Awela, Golden Flourish Private Schools, Oremeji, Iyesi-Ota.

  • Pension scam suspect dies in police custody

    Pension scam suspect dies in police custody

    SUSPECT in the N1 billion pension scam uncoverd at the  Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Mrs. Ifeoma Onyeabo, has died in detention.

    Mrs. Onyeabo, a former secretary to the corporation, died in the custody of the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), barely five days after being transferred to Abuja.

    The late Mrs. Onyeabo was among five other suspects transferred to the FCID from the Railway Police Command at Ebute-Metta, Lagos.

    Her Murano Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), which was seized from her when the police began investigation into the scam, was  seen parked at the Railway Police premises last week.

    Her death was being openly discussed at the NRC Headquarters last weekend amid fears that it may affect the investigation.

    Other suspects transferred to Abuja were said to have been returned to the Railway Police Command in Lagos for further investigation.

    A worker, who pleaded for anonymity, said the “unending investigation,” may have worsened the suspects’ health.

    He said: “How many weeks would it take the police to conclude their investigation, since there are no fresh leads. The police should begin the prosecution of the suspects. These suspects have been detained for more than four weeks and during this period, they have been denied access to their lawyers and doctors. Their long incarceration may trigger other complications.“

    A top management official, who asked not to be named, said the management was not culpable in the “unfortunate” turn of events.

    The official said the management was proactive, setting up a panel to investigate the scam immediately it blew open.

    He said: “We immediately submitted the panel’s report to the Board and the police were invited to begin investigation and what happened thereafter is outside the control of the NRC management.”

  • Students seek Fed Govt, states,’ councils’ collaboration on transportation

    The six winners of the 2013 Be Road Friendly (BRF) competition have  praised the Lagos State government for organising the contest aimed at exposing children in primary, junior and senior secondary schools to road safety.

    Speaking on behalf of others on their  arrival from a seven-day tour of the United Kingdom, Oluwabunmi Akinnagbe of the Lagos State Senior Model College, Igbokuta, Ikorodu, a Lagos suburb,  praised the government for improving transportation.

    She said the only way Nigeria can replicate what obtains in London where there is seamless inter-connectivity of people is for the Federal and State governments to cooperate to improve transportation.

    Akinnagbe appealed to the various tiers of government to cooperate with one another to alleviate the sufferings of the people and provide them with effective transportation.

    While praising Governor Babatunde Fashola, for the on-going construction of the 27 kilometre Blue Line rail system from Okokomaiko to Marina, she said the rail would move many people at the same time, increase economic activities, improve the better living conditions of the people and reduce traffic congestion.

    The winners travelled to the United Kingdom  on May 10 and returned on May 16. They visited the London Department for Transport (DFT), London Transport Museum among other places.

  • Cable car coming soon for Lagos

    •Govt to launch temporary vehicle tag

    Nigeria’s first commercial cable car may begin operation soon in Lagos State, the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Kayode Opeifa, has said.

    Opeifa who broke the news at  a press briefing to mark the seventh anniversary of the Babatunde Fashola administration at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, said the cable propelled transit line would expand the options of a safe and reliable public transportation modes available to commuters.

    “Since the creation of the Ministry 13 years ago, the state’s transportation policy has been hinged on the provision of a safe, reliable, efficient, integrated and multimodal transportation system,” he said.

    According to Opeifa, the realisation  of the project would require the active  involvement of the private sector.

    He said the cable transit line, packaged under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, was being handled by Ropeway Transport Limited, with whom the government has signed a franchise agreement.

    Though the project will take-off with two routes, Opeifa said, the routes, will serve as crucial links to Apapa, the home of the nation’s busiest ports, Lagos Island, Ikoyi/Obalende and Victoria Island.

    The firm, Opeifa said, has commenced the detailed design of the project, while geotechnical investigations of the sites are ongoing.

    Acquisition of land needed for the realisation of the project Opeifa said, is also almost completed.

    The cable transit scheme, the commissioner disclosed, is part of the long term investment initiative in the public sector transportation infrastructure development being managed by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (LAMATA), the all-purpose vehicle established by the government to coordinate private investments in transportation.

    “The cable car will provide options for discerning Lagosians and business executives who desire a fast and reliable means of transportation to use at an affordable price,” he added.

    Lagos State government is to launch a Temporary Vehicle Tag (TVT), to serve as a means of identification for new vehicles before their actual registration is perfected.

    Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, who disclosed this, explained that the tag  would be launched on June 13.

    He described the TVT as another innovation aimed at ensuring that owners of new vehicles could procure motor vehicles and drivers services’ documentation.

    “Before the end of the third quarter of this year, we will present to the people of Lagos the first state of the art one-stop-shop for the process and issuance of all Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (MVAA) products, such as drivers’ license, vehicle number plate and other vehicle particulars to the public,” he said.

    MVAA Permanent Secretary,  Akin Hanson said the tag would allow the listing of vehicles’ data on the database and serve as a link for tracking same in the case of theft, or order security challenges.

    “TVT  as a form of registration would conform to approved registration conditions, except the production of a Custom Duty Card, and owners would be issued with TVT with validity period of 30 days.

    “The product is also backed up by law. It is benchmarked on the standard practices in several states in Europe, America and Canada, with a semblance of it in neigbouring Republic of Benin. It would provide data for yet-to-be-fully registered vehicles in the state,” he explained.

    Hanson added that with the TVT, every information about one’s car is already in government’s registration database.

    He said the tag issuance would be flagged off in three centres.

    Opeifa said other infrastructure interventions being handled by LAMATA were all in various stages of completion. He listed the ongoing construction of BRT lane from Mile 12 to Ikorodu, which is being handled in three urban phases – from Mile 12 to Ajegunle, said to be 50 percent completed, the rural phase, from Ajegunle to Majidun, put at 62 percent completion and urban section 2 from Majidun to Ikorodu said to be 52 percent completed.

  • Rail begins transit shuttle June 2

    Rail begins transit shuttle June 2

    The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) will introduce new train services in Lagos on June 2.

    A statement by the Assistant Director of Public Relations, Mr. David N. Ndakotsu, said the shuttle would further strengthen its existing services especially within Lagos.

    According to him, the services will see the deployment of the newly purchased Diesel Multiple Units (DMU) railcars will come with 10 coaches on each train to ease congestion.

    The Lagos Mass Transit train he further disclosed will run 18 trips daily.

    He said: “The newly introduced Diesel Multiple Unit will run eight trips per day at N750 per trip, while the standard service will run 10 trips per day at N230 with stops at all stations. The new train service will also run six trips on Saturdays.”

    It is believed that the introduction of additional train services will help reduce congestion on the Lagos mass transit trains and provide commuters with improved, efficient and reliable trains service especially at peak periods.

  • Road friendly winners travel to UK

    The six winners of the Be Road Friendly (BRF) Year 2013 competition organised by the Lagos State School Traffic Safety Advocacy Programme (LASTSAP) of the Ministry of Transportation have travelled to the United Kingdom on a seven-day Transport Education tour.

    Addressing the winners shortly before leaving the country, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola on Transport Education, Dr Mariam Masha, advised the winners to be observant, disciplined and be of good conduct throughout their stay in United Kingdom.

    She urged the winners from primary, junior and senior secondary school categories to be focused while on the trip as they are the agent of change in the society as well as the future leaders of their country, Nigeria.

    The Winners, Achanya Mary (Langbasa Primary School, Ajah), Adeoye Samuel (Ajelogo Primary School, Ketu), Anipupo Adesewa (Government Comprehensive Junior College, Agege), Adisa Mariam (Stadium Junior Grammar School, Surulere), Adebanjo John (Ansar-ud-Deen Senior High School, Falolu, Surulere) and Akinnagbe Oluwabunmi (Lagos State Senior Model College, Igbokuta) are expected to visit the Department for Transport and London Transport Museum among others.