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GRIDLOCK: Apapa-Oshodi Expressway reconstruction begins in two weeks

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6 years ago

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The reconstruction of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway will begin in two weeks, Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode said yesterday.

At the Third Quarterly Town Hall Meeting at Iberekodo, Ibeju-Lekki, Ambode said the road had been in a bad state for too long

He noted that traffic has improved in the axis in the last one week compared to what it was some few weeks ago.

According to him, the gridlock has become perennial, and going and coming is pathetic.

“But the challenge is to give a permanent solution and in that reason, the President (Muhammadu Buhari) has directed the Vice President (Yemi Osinbajo)  to visit Lagos and provide permanent solution,” he said.

Ambode asked that ports in other states be revived to resolve the perennial traffic congestion in Apapa.

Beyond reviving other ports, tankers queuing up to lift petroleum products from tank farms in Apapa is also a major issue causing gridlock and damaging road infrastructure there.

The governor said: “It would be very unfair to Lagosians if I don’t talk about issues relating to traffic management and integrated transport management most especially what we have witnessed in the last one week in Apapa, but again I would like to tell Lagosians that every stakeholder that is ?relevant to resolving the Apapa crisis, we have gone to work and you can see that there is a major improvement.

“We are grateful to the President for his intervention. We believe that every layer of government should collaborate to resolve the crisis. But we all must know that Apapa crisis is more than traffic issue.

“That is where all states depend on for revenue through Customs because the revenue is shared at the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC). If anything goes wrong in the port, whatever they get from the place could reduce. It is a national issue and it must be addressed as same immediately.

“It is bad that we still use trucks to lift petroleum products from Apapa to other parts of the country. As it is now, other ports in Nigeria must begin to work immediately to decongest gridlock in Lagos.”

Ambode called on the Minister of state of Petroleum and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to work towards reviving the pipelines.

He thanked the Federal Government for shifting the date for the repair of the Third Mainland Bridge.

The governor said his administration had kept faith with the people.

“Our promise from the very beginning was that we are going to give you a government of inclusion and it’s very clear that we are on track. When we look at our scorecard, which is to keep Lagos on a trajectory of growth and development, we are on that track,” he said.

On his plan for Ibeju Lekki,  Ambode said the construction of the Epe Airport and reconstruction of the Coastal Road were on course, adding that the dualisation of the Eleko Junction to the T-Junction will begin in January. He promised to complete the 27 network of roads in Ojokoro and Ayinke House, among others before the next quarter.

He directed the recruitment of 1,000 teachers adding that more would be recruited as the need arises.

A physically-challenged graduate of Computer Studies, Michael Ogunyemi, who has been jobless for five years could not hold back his joy when the governor directed the Civil Service Commission to employ him from August 1.

 

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Transport

Federal Government To Launch Out 2700 CNG Buses, Tricycles Ahead Of First anniversary Of Tinubu’s Administration

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6 days ago

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April 22, 2024

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The Presidency on Sunday said it was ready to launch about 2,700 CNG-powered buses and tricycles before May 29 when President Bola Tinubu turns one year in office.

“All is now ready for delivery of the first set of critical assets for deployment and launch of the CNG initiative ahead of the first anniversary of the Tinubu administration on May 29.”

It said the Federal Government is set to deliver 100 conversion workshops and 60 refuelling sites spread across 18 states before the end of 2024.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, revealed this in a statement he signed Sunday titled ‘Presidential CNG initiative set for rollout.’

“From the end of May, Nigeria will take some baby steps to join such nations that already have large fleets of CNG vehicles.

The CNG tricycle
The CNG buses

“All is now ready for delivery of the first set of critical assets for deployment and launch of the CNG initiative ahead of the first anniversary of the Tinubu administration on May 29.

“About 2,500 of the tricycles will be ready before May 29, 2024…working towards delivering 200 units before the first anniversary of the Tinubu administration,” said the Presidency.

He also said that over 600 buses are targeted for production in the first phase which will be accomplished in 2024.

In October 2023, about five months after the removal of the petrol subsidy, President Tinubu launched the Presidential CNG Initiative to deliver cheaper, safer and more climate-friendly energy.

The CNG Initiative was designed to deliver compressed natural gas, especially for mass transit.

The Federal Government earmarked N100bn (part of the N500bn palliative budget) to purchase 5500 CNG vehicles (buses and tricycles), 100 Electric buses and over 20,000 CNG conversion kits, with plans to develop CNG refilling stations and electric charging stations nationwide.

The FG had said the initiative would ease the burden of the increased pump price on the masses.More information added that the creation of a new plant on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway that will assemble the tricycles while Brilliant EV will assemble electric vehicles when it receives the Semi Knocked Down components.

The Presidency explained further, “The SKD parts manufactured by the Chinese company LUOJIA in partnership with its local partner to support the consortium of local suppliers of CNG tricycles are set for shipment to Nigeria and expected to arrive early in May.

It is expected that before 2027, There’ll be a considerable wave of these buses and tricycles in use.

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Transport

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu Unveils First Set of Electric Buses In Lagos

Published

12 months ago

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May 2, 2023

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The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has announced the first set of electric buses for the state’s mass transit scheme.

Sanwo-Olu announced this on his Instagram page on Sunday, as he shared pictures of the buses.

He partly wrote, “I am excited to announce the first set of electric buses in the Lagos Mass transit master plan as part of our increased effort to modernise every sector of Lagos.

“Thanks to our partnership with #Oando_PLC, Lagosians can expect a cleaner and greener public transportation system.

“With the ability to travel 280 km at full charge, taking into account our unique travel times in Lagos, our electric buses are a game-changer.”

Here are pictures of the electric bus.

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Transport

Federal Executive Council Approve the sum of N453.90bn for Kano Rail Line under construction

Published

1 year ago

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March 23, 2023

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The Federal Executive Council has approved the sum of N453.90bn for the procurement of rolling stock, operation and maintenance equipment for the Kano-Maradi standard gauge rail line currently under construction.

The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, disclosed this to State House correspondents on Wednesday, March 22, after this week’s Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The approved sum also includes N510.93m meant for procuring four customised fire service/search and rescue vans in seaports at Port Harcourt, Lagos Port Complex, Tincan Island port and the Marina headquarters of the Nigerian Ports Authority.

The 248km rail line will traverses Kano, other cities such as Kazaure in Bauchi State, Daura and Mashi in Katsina State; Dutse in Jigawa State, the border town of Jibia, before terminating in Niger Republic’s trade and agricultural hub of Maradi.

According to a former Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, the line has 15 stations along its path with a forecasted daily traffic of 9,364 passengers and approximately 3000 metric tons of cargo.

However, the project has been fraught with resistance, especially from lawmakers.

However, on Wednesday, Sambo said: “The memorandum sought council’s consideration and approval for the award of contract for the procurement of rolling stock, operation or maintenance equipment for the Kano-Maradi standard gauge rail line that is currently under construction.

“The contract was awarded to MSSRs Mota-Engil Nigeria Limited, who are the contractors handling this particular project in the sum of $984,722,302.5 inclusive of seven and a half per cent VAT with a completion period of four years.”

Sambo also revealed that the Transport ministry presented another memo on behalf of the Nigerian Ports Authority “for the award of contract for the construction and supply of four customised Fire Service search and rescue vans for extrication of accident victims for Rivers Ports in Port Harcourt, Lagos Port complex, Tincan Island Port and the Marina headquarters of the NPA, all in Lagos.

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