The story of why Lagos, a city of about 17 million people, still depends mostly on buses to take care of the transportation needs of millions of people that commute around the city daily must be told for the sake of posterity. It is the story of how the Lagos State Rail Mass Transit Scheme, which was meant was to ease the transportation bottlenecks common in Lagos, was stalled for 3 decades.

First civillian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, was the first to initiate the process of building a rapid mass transit system in Lagos in the early 1980s. He conceived the idea, designed the project and awarded the contract to a French firm at N700 million with a completion period of 2 years.

However, the first obstacle to the realisation of the project came from former president Alhaji Shehu Shagari. Shagari frustrated the project by allegedly stopping the CBN from releasing funds for the project. The report below throws more light on this incident:

Sincere 9gerian: Explaining how Shagari and Buhari worked against the metro-rail project, Jakande said there was delay after the N700 million metro-line project was awarded to a French firm with the arrangement to first pay N70 million and pay the rest in the space of two years.

He said the delay compelled him to ask "my commissioner for works to investigate why the N70 million mobilisation fund was not released. The commissioner investigated and discovered that it was President who asked the Central Bank of Nigeria not to release the money.

"I was told President Shagari was angry because I did not congratulate him after his controversial election and because I won election on the platform of an opposition party. I later approached him and explained the problem facing execution of the project and that CBN refused N70 million reserved for its take-off.

"President Shagari said it was because there was fuel crisis. He said the CBN governor would visit him that evening and that he would get back to me after talking to him on the metro-line project fund. I quickly replied that I would wait for him since I considered him paramount to undo the knots on the release of the fund," he said.

Jakande who clocks 80 today, said: "The CBN governor finally arrived, and President Shagari raised the issue of N70 million metro-line project fund. But the CBN governor said the fund cannot be released at once. He asked me to withdraw as many times as possible citing the reasons of bad economy and increasing fuel crisis at the period."

http://allafrica.com/stories/200907230352.html?maneref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fm%3Fq%3DLagos%2BMetro%2Bline%2BJakande&mstac=0

All efforts by Jakande to salvage the project came to a halt with the Gen Buhari military coup of 1983. The project remained in limbo until 1985 when Buhari cancelled the project completely at a loss of over $78 million to the Lagos tax payers.

In the report below, Buhari gave his reasons for cancelling the project:

Sincere 9gerian: Buhari, while speaking in Lagos on Wednesday at the presentation of his party manifesto, said when he got into power, the relatively stable economy, which was handed over to the government of Alhaji Shehu Shagari, had been badly plundered and corruption was rife in every sector. He added that the rail line project was meant to cost N100m, which was a large sum of money then, and the Federal Government was asked to guarantee the loan meant for the project

https://www.nairaland.com/640867/why-cancelled-lagos-metroline-project-buhari

From 1983 when the Lagos rail mass transit project was halted till this democratic dispensation began in 1999 (a period of almost 2 decades), Nigeria saw 4 Military Presidents/Head of State (including 8 year and 5 year rule of IBB and Abacha respectively), but none touched or even talked about the Lagos mass transit project.

Former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, tried to resurrect the project in 2003 but nothing came out of that.

However, in 2008 the current governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, began another concrete effort to make the project a reality by proposing a new design of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit System. But actual work on the project did not begin until 2010 when there was a new order at the federal level. The first phase of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit is now scheduled to be completed in 2015. Lagosians are eager to see this happen because it will definitely ease the problem of mass transportation in the state.

[size=13pt]So is it your LOOTOCRAT GEJ that is now building the lightrail

PDP e-demon[/size]

^ I didn't say so. It is definitely a project of the Lagos State govt. But as you can see from the history of the project, a mischievous president can stall or frustrate the project.

Omo_Tier1: [size=13pt]So is it your LOOTOCRAT GEJ that is now building the lightrail

PDP e-demon[/size]

Save for the caption of this write up which I don't entirely agree with, I believe the op presented a balanced viewpoint.

And I am also of the view that it is too early in the thread for you to start name-calling and cursing.

Sincere 9gerian: ^ I didn't say so. It is definitely a project of the Lagos State govt. But as you can see from the history of the project, a mischievous president can stall or frustrate the project.

Thats why GEJ blessed them with 1822 Locomotives, right?

Can these PPP agents stop having sleepless nights and restless days, because of Buhari?

donphilopus: Can these PPP agents stop having sleepless nights and restless days, because of Buhari?

Can you face the bitter TRUTH for once in your life?

Meanwhile, that line is now stale and boring. Kindly upgrade.

Sincere 9gerian:
Can you face the bitter TRUTH for once in your life?

Meanwhile, that line is now stale and boring. Kindly upgrade.

Guy, Have you ever regretted waiting too long or too little?

Omo_Tier1: [size=13pt]So is it your LOOTOCRAT GEJ that is now building the lightrail

PDP e-demon[/size]

Nigeria: Jakande Blames Buhari, Shagari for Failed Lagos Metro Project


See how the crooked and fraudulent aso rock oponu left out shagari.

gregtochi:

[s]Save for the caption of this write up which I don't entirely agree with, I believe the op presented a balanced viewpoint.

And I am also of the view that it is too early in the thread for you to start name-calling and cursing.[/s]

What's so balanced about the deceptive and bogus old news nonsense..?

agbameta:


Nigeria: Jakande Blames Buhari, Shagari for Failed Lagos Metro Project


See how the crooked and fraudulent aso rock oponu left out shagari.

Tinubu clown! Shagari has retired from partisan politics but the coupist, Buhari, is still parading himself as a political leader in APC. More over, the body of the article contains all the details.

Sincere 9gerian:
Tinubu clown! Shagari has retired from partisan politics but the coupist, Buhari, is still parading himself as a political leader in APC. More over, the body of the article contains all the details.

What do you want him to do when crooks, criminals and looters like yourself are still running around?

Sincere 9gerian:
Tinubu clown! Shagari has retired from partisan politics but the coupist, Buhari, is still parading himself as a political leader in APC. More over, the body of the article contains all the details.

Oponu bingo. What's shagari and partisan politics got to do with your lies, bait and switch deception...?


I see you are still choking on tinubus balls... Do you see him in your sleep too or wish he's sleeping next to you?..... Fvking fagittttt. lmao.

After all this and the SW still acts as slaves to the north.

This is a serious vase of master/servant relationship.

gregtochi:

Save for the caption of this write up which I don't entirely agree with, I believe the op presented a balanced viewpoint.

And I am also of the view that it is too early in the thread for you to start name-calling and cursing.

Go and see T.B Joshua...... Just my recommendation for you

Omo_Tier1:
Go and see T.B Joshua...... Just my recommendation for you

TB Joshua won't be able to help you. A lost case.

Sincere 9gerian: The story of why Lagos, a city of about 17 million people, still depends mostly on buses to take care of the transportation needs of millions of people that commute around the city daily must be told for the sake of posterity. It is the story of how the Lagos State Rail Mass Transit Scheme, which was meant was to ease the transportation bottlenecks common in Lagos, was stalled for 3 decades.

First civillian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, was the first to initiate the process of building a rapid mass transit system in Lagos in the early 1980s. He conceived the idea, designed the project and awarded the contract to a French firm at N700 million with a completion period of 2 years.

However, the first obstacle to the realisation of the project came from former president Alhaji Shehu Shagari. Shagari frustrated the project by allegedly stopping the CBN from releasing funds for the project. The report below throws more light on this incident:

All efforts by Jakande to salvage the project came to a halt with the Gen Buhari military coup of 1983. The project remained in limbo until 1985 when Buhari cancelled the project completely at a loss of over $78 million to the Lagos tax payers.

In the report below, Buhari gave his reasons for cancelling the project:

From 1983 when the Lagos rail mass transit project was halted till this democratic dispensation began in 1999 (a period of almost 2 decades), Nigeria saw 4 Military Presidents/Head of State (including 8 year and 5 year rule of IBB and Abacha respectively), but none touched or even talked about the Lagos mass transit project.

Former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, tried to resurrect the project in 2003 but nothing came out of that.

However, in 2008 the current governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, began another concrete effort to make the project a reality by proposing a new design of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit System. But actual work on the project did not begin until 2010 when there was a new order at the federal level. The first phase of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit is now scheduled to be completed in 2015. Lagosians are eager to see this happen because it will definitely ease the problem of mass transportation in the state.

Lmao.

I always enjoy your entertainment, particularly when you cant contain yourself and the delirium of whatever you are chasing drives you into ecstatic shrieks.

No government can stop us from doing what we want. If a project is interrupted by FG, regardless who the President or Head of State is, its because we allowed it. There are many episodes on record in which FG had numerously interferred in the internal administrative business of Lagos and they were pushed back and successfully restrained.

FG did not stop rail project, they delayed it. We are back on it and should be done soon. Tell them in village to come and ride the speeding metal snake.

Mayor_of_Lagos:

Lmao.

I always enjoy your entertainment, particularly when you cant contain yourself and the delirium of whatever you are chasing drives you into ecstatic shrieks.

No government can stop us from doing what we want. If a project is interrupted by FG, regardless who the President or Head of State is, its because we allowed it. There are many episodes on record in which FG had numerously interferred in the internal administrative business of Lagos and they were pushed back and successfully restrained.

FG did not stop rail project, they delayed it. We are back on it and should be done soon. Tell them in village to come and ride the speeding metal snake.

And the fact that certain presidents/head of state "delayed" such critical project for about 3 decade (30 years) means nothing to you? Why do you make those who call you a fool appear justified? Incredible!

Sincere 9gerian:
And the fact that certain presidents/head of state "delayed" such critical project for about 3 decade (30 years) means nothing to you? Why do you make those who call you a fool appear justified? Incredible!

There is no doubt that they delayed it but we also played a part by allowing it. Read my earlier response. They are not to blame, we are.

When Gowon attempted to turn Lagos to Federal property, Oba Oyekan told him to fvck off, Gowon lost the case and FG remained a tenant, not an owner of any part of Lagos. When President Obasanjo withehld Lagos allocation from Federation Account, Asiwaju told him to go and die; he devised a new way to generate revenue and the state survived.

We dont sit waiting on FG to come and build us a bridge or airport, we develop at our own pace and independently on our own vision. We are to blame that no one devised a way to circumvent the FG and continued the rail project.

Like i said, we are looking for money to sustain more growth, share the news in village, tell everybody to come and ride the fast snake. Tell them leave their machette back in village, its no need for that here.

Mayor_of_Lagos:

There is no doubt that they delayed it but we also played a part by allowing it. Read my earlier response. They are not to blame, we are.

When Gowon attempted to turn Lagos to Federal property, Oba Oyekan told him to fvck off, Gowon lost the case and FG remained a tenant, not an owner of any part of Lagos. When President Obasanjo withehld Lagos allocation from Federation Account, Asiwaju told him to go and die; he devised a new way to generate revenue and the state survived.

We dont sit waiting on FG to come and build us a bridge or airport, we develop at our own pace and independently on our own vision. We are to blame that no one devised a way to circumvent the FG and continued the rail project.

Like i said, we are looking for money to sustain more growth, share the news in village, tell everybody to come and ride the fast snake. Tell them leave their machette back in village, its no need for that here.

Here they go again, comparing apples and oranges. Anyway, it still doesn't change the fact that a project that should have been completed by Jakande 1986 is still going on in 2014. This is a FACT that should bother you

Sincere 9gerian: ^ I didn't say so. It is definitely a project of the Lagos State govt. But as you can see from the history of the project, a mischievous president can stall or frustrate the project.

then shut up if it wasn't ur GEJ that is building it now!

On the contrary, we thank God say the projects were neva done then!

Do u knw why?

because it wld av been an old project. And Jonathan wld av not allowed the light rail project now by Lagos state, instead, he wld av brought in his refurbished locomotive from china, slammed it on the old rail, and called it railway revitalization.

That wldnt av been worst than when u e-demons and sycophants will start singing the praises of the daft president for slamming a locomotive on the rails in the 21st century!



Person wey dey go work by train go worst past person wey hook for traffic!!

SLIDE waxie: then shut up if it wasn't ur GEJ that is building it now!

On the contrary, we thank God say the projects were neva done then!

Do u knw why?

because it wld av been an old project. And Jonathan wld av not allowed the light rail project now by Lagos state, instead, he wld av brought in his refurbished locomotive from china, slammed it on the old rail, and called it railway revitalization.

That wldnt av been worst than when u e-demons and sycophants will start singing the praises of the daft president for slamming a locomotive on the rails in the 21st century!



Person wey dey go work by train go worst past person wey hook for traffic!!

Meaningless rant!

donphilopus: Can these PPP agents stop having sleepless nights and restless days, because of Buhari?

Is Buhari no longer APC's man of the moment?