By; MATTHEW UKACHUNWA Lagos
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has thanked the Federal Government (FG) for allowing the Red Line Rail of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) to share tracks with Nigerian Railway Corporation’s (NRC) service lines from Lagos to Ibadan.
The governor expressed the gratitude in Lagos on Thursday at the commissioning of the Red Line Rail by President Bola Tinubu.
“We thank former President Goodluck Jonathan for signing-off on the track sharing agreement, and the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) for providing us with the cooperation and support,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The Lagos State leader also acknowledged the project contractor, China Civil Engineering
Construction Corporation (CCECC) and its Chairman, Mr. Jason Zhang, for completing and delivering the project on deadline.
Sanwo-Olu, in addition, appreciated the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the invaluable support the apex bank rendered on the rail infrastructure.
The Lagos Rail Mass Transit Red Line is a 37-kilometre modern engineering infrastructure that stretches from Agbado in Ogun State to the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.
“The segment we inaugurate today spans an impressive 27 kilometres from Agbado to Oyingbo, featuring state-of-the-art stations at Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, Oshodi, Mushin, Yaba and Oyingbo,” Sanwo-Olu explained. “We started construction in mid-2020, and I am happy that our administration has been able to complete it.”
He pointed out that in year 2003, President Bola Tinubu who was then the governor of Lagos State established the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) to coordinate and oversee transport policies and programme’s in Lagos State, and to deliver intermodal integrated transport system that would allow seamles movement of people and fuel the economic growth of the state.
The governor declared that Lagos State has a Strategic Transport Master Plan (STMP) “that outlines what the integrated rail system should look like: six rail lines, one monorail, 14 BRT corridors, over 20 water routes, and a vast network of major and inner roads.
