MODERNISING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN LAGOS

 Lagos State signs contract for a fleet of electric vehicles, and others for public use, writes SAMSON ADEGOKE

Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s passion to deliver excellent services to the people of Lagos State remain strong as ever. Since 2019, when he assumed the leadership of the most sophisticated subnational entity in Nigeria, he has continued to be an exemplary leader and a shining example to others. He was clear in his mind of what he set out to achieve. He ran on the governance thrust of THEME. The policy statement and agenda resonated with the people across socio-economic strata of the state, as it perfectly reflected their corporate aspiration for a liveable, clean, prosperous and sustainable Lagos. The acronym stands for Transportation and Traffic Management; Health and Environment; Education and Technology;

Making Lagos State a 21st Century Megacity, Entertainment and Tourism; and Security & Governance. In all the thematic areas, the governor delivered exceptionally to the admiration of many Lagosians and Nigerians at large. In 2023 when he secured his second term mandate, the governor, declared, “Henceforth, it will be known as “T.H.E.M.E.S+,” the”plus ” representing the incorporation of an intensified focus, in these next four years, on social inclusion, gender equality and youth ”, everybody will be catered for.

In other words, we are strengthening and reinforcing THEMES with a ‘No One Left Behind’ philosophy. No one will be left behind on account of their social status, gender or age; we will design all our policies and programs to ensure that everyone is carried along and this is our solemn promise to you.

True to his agenda, Lagos under his watch has witnessed remarkable developments across sectors. Governor Sanwo-Olu administration has seen the rise of public and private infrastructure — the largest single train petrochemical refinery in the world, the largest United States Consulate Complex in the world, the largest children hospital in West Africa, the largest rice mill in sub -Saharan Africa, global corporations like Microsoft, Google, among others.

The latest landmark is the signing of joint venture partner ship between a state-owned corpo ration, IBILE Holdings Limited, and renowned auto maker, CIG Motors Company Lim ited for the acquisition of 5,000 brand new vehicles to the fleet of LAGRIDE, bolstering Lagos econ omy with $260 million investment.

LAGRIDE, an e-hailing taxi scheme, was launched in 2022 by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. It is a cheaper, clean and decent preferred means of transportation for many Lagosians, particularly young and mobile professionals in Lagos State.

It is expected that in a few weeks from now, the state will take delivery of 2,000 units of the new vehicles in the first phase; the rest are to be de livered in tranches. The new fleet will have 1,000 electric vehicles, demonstrating the commitment of the state government to reduc ing dependence on fossil fuels and reducing the carbon footprint.

According to the governor, the initia tive was part of his administra tion’s vision to transform and modernise public transportation, giving the state an integrated ur ban transit system as a sustainable alternative to outdated vehicles be ing used for transportation. Sanwo-Olu said: “This is a transportation solution that we are developing to meet all our citi zens’ needs to commute safely and comfortably within the metropolitan area. We are using our investment arm as a vehicle to execute what will become a successful joint ven ture partnership between Lagos State government and CIG Motor Company

Limited in the acquisi tion of 5,000 brand new GAC vehi cles for LAGRIDE initiative.

“The partnership with CIG Motors started two years ago with 1,000 brand new cars and we have seen the benefits to our people in terms of job creation and eco nomic empowerment. We are set to enhance the scope and expand the fleet in order to extend the e-hailing service to other parts of the state. Introduction of electric powered vehicles into the fleet is to change the narrative. We will begin to see the drop in carbon footprint. This demonstrates our commitment to energy transi tion towards sustainable energy sources.

“We will be seeing improve ment in operation, advancement in technology, improved market share, extensive research and rap id movements. We will be seeing Lagos living up to its potential as a city operating an international standard, environmentally sus tainable and smart mobility sys tem deserving of its status. We are happy with the investment decision we are making today. We believe Lagos and its residents will reap the benefits of cleaner and better mode of transportation”.

The transformative agenda of Governor Sanwo-Olu has been impactful. Across all sectors, the administration is keeping faith with the people, expanding the frontiers of infrastructure and social services.

Innovative and creative Lagos Youths in tech, digital and creative sector attest to the unprecedented supports they are getting under the government of Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu. In addition to arrays of tech programmes and seed funding opportunities for enterprising Lagos youths, the governor also launched Lagos Innovates, a platform that provides support for the exciting and fast-growing startup ecosystem in Lagos State.

Lagos is proudly dubbed Africa’s Silicon Valley, with a vibrant exciting startup ecosystem. Lagos Innovates is the first of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa with the long-term goal of being the hub for technological innovation and the home for tech-driven entrepreneurship in Africa. Lagos Innovates is an initiative of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF).

The administration of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has transformed the state, expanded opportunities for the people and enabled an atmosphere of economic prosperity for many Lagosians.

 Adegoke writes from Lagos