Ogun will soon commence operation of the Bus Mass Transit services to Lagos and major towns in the state.
The state governor, Dapo Abiodun, stated this while receiving reports on the transportation sector christened ‘Abeokuta Urban Transport Policy from the Head, United Kingdom Prosperity Fund, Nigeria Office, Miss Martha Bostock and the Strategic Transport Intervention Plan for Ogun state.’
The transport steering committee is headed by the Commissioner for Transportation, Gbenga Dairo, with support by the Department of Transport Planning & Management, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye.
The governor noted that the Bus Mass Transit was deliberately conceptualised to improve quality of life by reducing travel time, improving local air quality, curbing greenhouse gas emissions, and preventing road fatalities and crashes.
Abiodun reiterated that the present administration was poised towards achieving an effective multimodal transportation system, adding that the state government had embarked on various strategies in achieving effective transportation system by rehabilitating both urban and rural roads.
He further stated that the flag-off of Ogun State Bus Mass Transit Scheme would commence in May, while light rail services in the state would commence as soon as discussions are concluded with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and Lagos state to take full advantage of rail infrastructure within Ogun for the development of the state.
“As part of government’s deliberate efforts at modernising and promoting efficiency in the transport sector, as contained in our urban renewal programme, the berth of Ogun Bus Mass Transit, which takes off in May is aimed at providing improved movement of people in the state through a bus-based public transport system designed to have better capacity and reliability than a conventional bus system with a view to providing valuable public health benefits by reducing road fatalities, crashes and injuries; reducing personal exposure to harmful air pollutants; and increasing accessibility for public transport users”, the governor stated.
The governor commended the committee for painstakingly carrying out its assignment towards the growth of the state transportation sector and promised his government would ensure proper implementation of the committee’s report.
“I can assure you that we will implement the reports and will not leave them on the shelves to gather dust. I am convinced that the implementation would change the face of transportation in the state,” Abiodun stated.
