LASG: Blue Line Rail Will Generate its Own Electricity

Emma Okonji and Nosa Alekhuogie

Following the commissioning of the Lagos Blue Line rail by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Lagos State Commissioner for information, Gbenga Omotosho, has said the blue lines will generate its own electricity to power its rail transportation system.

He noted that it was the first of its kind in Africa, which has its own dedicated Independent Power Plant (IPP) with four power sources thereby eliminating the fear of power outage while on the train.

He however assured Nigerians that the cost to use this mode of transportation isn’t going to be exorbitant as transportation is not something that the government relies on to make huge revenue.

“It’s the comfort of Lagosians the government is looking at and not how much to charge or anything that will make anybody to complain,’’ he said.

Omotosho who was a guest on the Morning show of ARISE NEWS Channel, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, commended the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu for bringing the project to life.

He also clarified that the commissioning which was done prior to this was that of the completion of infrastructure like the tracks and signalisation and not the services of the blue line as speculated.

He said: “For us in Lagos, it is a thing of joy, and we are not talking about whether this project was dropped at some time or not.

“This one that we are talking about is quite different from the one you are talking about, the metro line. This one was conceptualised by the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and then successive administrations after that, they have been following up until Bababjide Sanwo-Olu promised and resolved that he was going to complete it and thank God, he has completed it now.”

Giving information as to when it will be open to the public officially, the commissioner said they were still looking to take journalists, professional associations, engineering groups on board for them to test-run it before Lagosian will have full access to it.

Fielding questions on when the Red Line rail will be completed, Omotosho said it would be completed and inaugurated in the first quarter of the year.

He, however, said there had been delays in building all the overpasses because many are being built at the same time and the weather didn’t help which caused the contractors to be delayed.

The commissioner further warned Lagosians to desist from displaying all sorts like clothes for sale on the railway track, as it has been fenced off and there are notices all over the place alerting people of electrification which could be fatal.

Also speaking about the John Randle Centre for yoruba culture and history, he said the present administration chose to use the place to promote tourism in the state as well as build an urban regeneration program.

According to him, Onikan where the facility is situated, is also the first of its kind in Lagos.

He explained further that there is a place to learn about the yoruba culture, its impact, and everything about the yoruba history.

“For us in Lagos, it is an edifice that we are proud of because it’s symbolic of our attempt to make our young ones realise that history is very important, the yoruba culture is very rich and it’s something to sell to the world.