Lagos State, the economic hub of Nigeria, is notorious for a terrifying road traffic.
Every day, over 8 million people, commute in approximately 5 million vehicles cram into a tiny network of just 9,100 roads.
This contributes to the reason why Lagosians spend an average of 30 hours in traffic each week -- or 1,560 hours annually.
Successive
Governments in the State have tried to find a lasting solution to the
mass transit challenges in the state. One of such proffered solution is
the provision of comfortable high-capacity mass transit buses.
In
this article, we will be highlighting the efforts made by former
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and the incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu
in the provision of these mass transit buses.
800 Buses: Ambode Vs. Sanwo-OluFormer Governor Akinwunmi AmbodeFormer Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was known for his zeal towards the improvement of transportation infrastructure in Lagos state.
In May 2016, he donated 50 new buses for BRT operations in the state.
According
to him, the donation was intended to cushion any effect that the
removal of subsidy and subsequent increase in the petrol price will have
on Lagosians.
Primero Transport Services Limited – a
privately-own company and the sole BRT operator in Lagos - was the
beneficiary of Ambode's largess.
According to Fola Tinubu, the
Managing Director, Primero Transport Limited, "the governor’s gesture
would not only cushion the effect of fuel price, but it would also
stabilize transport fares".
In November 2017, the Ambode-led
government announced that it would be injecting 800 new buses in two
months; with the aim of making available 5,000 buses in 24 months. And
true to the promise, the buses were introduced.
On April 24, 2019, President Buhari formally launched the 800 brand new buses.
The
800 buses acquired by Ambode are not part of the Lagos BRT scheme.
Instead, they were placed under the management of the Lagos Bus Service
Limited (LBSL).
Lagos Bus Services Limited (LBSL)The
Lagos Bus Service Limited (LBSL) is an agency of the Lagos State
government that was incorporated in August 2016. It was set up as a
transport asset acquisition, operations, and advisory services company.
The
infrastructure provided for the smooth operations of the LBSL buses
includes bus shelters, lay-bys, bus flags, terminals, and depots at
various strategic points along the routes.
The LBSL-supervised
buses are not part of the Lagos BRT scheme. As a matter of fact, they
are not permitted to use the dedicated BRT lanes in Lagos.
Governor
Akinwunmi Ambode failed in his second term attempt. Thus, he was
hindered from achieving his ambition of injecting 5000 new buses into
the system.
He is currently under probe by the Lagos State House
of Assembly. The ex-governor is being investigated by the
parliamentarians for acquiring 820 buses without their consent. He
reportedly spent N45Billion in purchasing the buses.
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