NIGERIA's first ever urban light railway project will kick off in December this year when the long-awaited first phase of the Lagos State rail network linking up the mainland with Lagos Island becomes functional.
Lagos is one of the largest cities in the world without an urban rail network, making life extremely difficult for its 20m plus population. To address the man transit crisis, the state government has been working on a light railway project over the last 10 years and it will finally become functional this year.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has revealed that Lagosians will be able to start using the blue line of the light rail project by December. Speaking during the fifth Lagos Corporate Assembly, a forum for public-private sector engagement, Governor Ambode added that his government was also concluding the channelisation of the waterways in Lagos State to improve water transport, encourage investment and reduce the pressure on road networks.
“The contractors are actually working on the waters for now and by December this year, the project will start running. So, work is seriously ongoing,” Governor Ambode added.
He said the state would continue to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive with the overall aim of improving on the socio-economic wellbeing of the citizens. According to Governor Ambode, as part of measures aimed at encouraging investment, his administration created the N25bn Employment Trust Fund to give soft loans to entrepreneurs, while the Office of Overseas Affairs and Investments, the Office of Civic Engagement, as well as the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment Generation, were established to promote investments.
He said his administration was in the process of establishing the Lagos Micro Finance Bank, to help business owners to grow. Rotimi Ogunleye, the Lagos State commissioner for commerce, industry and cooperatives, said the forums created were an avenue for the government and the private sector to interact and discuss issues that were germane to the industrial growth of the state.
Meanwhile, federal transport minister Rotimi Amaechi, has pledged to complete all ongoing rail projects around the country and extend rail lines to all parts of the country. He promised to ensure a smooth working relationship with the aviation ministry for the development of the transport sector as well as meeting the expectations of Nigerians.
Comments
Post a Comment