Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola(SAN), yesterday canvassed mutual collaboration between Nigeria and Russia in the development of rail transportation, saying it was the only way to safeguard and guarantee long life span for roads and highways across the country.
Fashola, who spoke in Lagos House, Alausa, while hosting the Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, Nickolay Udovichenko, said Nigeria, needs to take a lot of cargo off her highways in order to extend their lifespan.
Noting that Russia has already developed such a technology, he said it was necessary that government, showed interest and begin talks with Russia to imbibe and adapt the technology in order to take more goods and heavy duty cargo off her highways.
“One thing that has interested me is the success of the Russian Railway and the expanse of development it has achieved over the years and, if I am not mistaken, the trucking by rail of several millions of cargo over about 9, 000 kilometres yearly. These are areas where, even as a country, Nigeria urgently needs to develop”, the Governor.
He told the Ambassador, “We need to take a lot of cargo off the roads, and if that technology already exists in a place like Russia, I think that our Government, not only at the state level but also at the national level, should also be showing interest and talking to you because that is the only way that I know that we can prolong the life of our roads and major highways across the country; if we can get more goods, more heavy duty cargo trucked by rail”.
“So these are some of the areas that I think in terms of economic cooperation between our two countries and the states that are consisting of those two federations and also that a lot can be done. I think your visit sets the ball in motion and I am anxious, to put it mildly, to explore possibilities”, he said.
Noting the desire of the Ambassador for collaboration in cultural and business exchanges between Lagos and Russia, Governor Fashola declared, “I am sure you will be hearing a lot more from our agencies in the next few weeks and in the next few months”, .
tion to him to visit Saint Petersburg, Governor Fashola, who said he had known much about the history and rich tradition of the city as a student of European History hinted that his team would visit the city in due course.
“St. Petersburg is a city that I am familiar with as a student of European History so I have some knowledge of its history and its very rich tradition even in the old Soviet Union and I have kept some track of its development in the advent of what one may call a more democratic Russia today. I certainly look forward ultimately in meeting the Governor”, he said.
Thanking the Ambassador for the courtesy of his visit, Governor Fashola pledged, “I will only commit that our Government here will give you that support that you need to discharge your responsibilities efficiently. I thank you for the courtesy of this visit and for your condolence message and you have my assurances for a very successful tenure and the support of all our team”.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, the Russian Ambassador, who condoled with the Governor over the passage of his father, also expressed the desire to discuss bilateral and business relations with Lagos saying he had heard a lot of reports about the Governor which, according to him, “are very positive”.
“I arrived here three months ago and I have heard a lot from people who tell me your activities in Lagos and I salute your efforts to improve the life in Lagos”, the Ambassador said adding that in terms of bilateral relations with Nigeria he intends to be a facilitator and not a mediator.
Expressing the strong desire to boost the political and economic relations already existing between the two countries, especially in the areas of Education, the Ambassador pledged to do his best to realize and deepen the relationship during his tenure.
He said the desire of the Governor and his team to visit Saint Petersburg was welcome and the government was eagerly waiting to receive the team from Lagos and to start a possible cooperation between the City and Lagos.
“Saint Petersburg is a city of only, I can say, about five million people. It is not very much like Lagos, but it is a very historical city”, the ambassador said adding that he had no doubt that the Governor and his team would admire it.
Noting that he had been in discussion with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), the Ambassador also promised to invite a business delegation not only to Nigeria but to Lagos adding, “I consider that Lagos is a very big city, the centre of business of this country”.
According to the Ambassador, who said he would also try to invite the Russian cultural group to come and perform in Lagos, “I am ready to work hard in order to improve our bilateral relationship”.
Also present, were the Commissioners for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat and Tourism and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr. Disun Holloway, the Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Prince Segun Oniru, the Acting Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, Chief Henry Oladele Ajomale and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Foreign Relations, Ms Toyin Caxton-Martins, while the Ambassador was accompanied by the Senior Counselor, Economic Affairs of the Embassy, and Counselor, Head of Lagos Office.
