So, the transportation alternatives include the BRT (buses), LRT (rail), Eko Water Buses (ferry), LASMI cabs (taxis), Park & Ride & cycle lanes (bicycles), LCCT (Cable Car) and the renewed LMTS.
Employment alternatives include LASMI (including LASMI cabs), YES, skills acquisition centres and the technology academy.
After this one, na BMW, Kawasaki n Dayton powered bike, then Volkswagen beetle. Next will be Kia Picanto. For those of u wearing bathroom slippers on our major roads, u were already banned since independence.
SLIDE waxie: u really dnt get it: there are 36 states in nigeria, u can live in the rest!
Miami and las vegas aint for everyone! Live else where!
And you have absolutely no right to tell any Nigerian were they should or should not leave, as it goes aginsts the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Or is Lagos not a Nigerian state?
naptu2: So, the transportation alternatives include the BRT (buses), LRT (rail), Eko Water Buses (ferry), LASMI cabs (taxis), Park & Ride & cycle lanes (bicycles), LCCT (Cable Car) and the renewed LMTS.
Employment alternatives include LASMI (including LASMI cabs), YES, skills acquisition centres and the technology academy.
And where are they at the moment. you don't need to ban to make the alernatives work. if the alternatives are working, okada and Marwa will ban themselves. e.g in India its only long buses and Tricycles and a tricycle has no business with a highway b'cos the buses are so cheap that it has taken other forms of trans. out of the highways.
Finally! Unfortunately I've not yet written the sections on LASMI Cabs, Red Cabs, etc and the section on Park and Ride and the bicycle lanes, but you'll read about LASMI Cabs in the employment section.
Some of the ferry pictures might not show. If they don't show I'll repost them separately later.
The Lagos Bus Rapid Transit System, also known as Lagos BRT, is a bus rapid transit system in Lagos State, Nigeria, which is owned by the Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority (LAMATA).
The first phase of the Lagos BRT was opened on March 24, 2008 with 100 buses, although it was initially slated for opening in November 2007 (the initiative to build the system was initiated by the government of the previous governor, Bola Tinubu). It went from Mile 12 through Ikorodu Road and Funsho Williams Avenue up to CMS. At the time the BRT Corridor was 22 km in length.
One of the benefits of the BRT system is the physically segregated lanes.
The BRT system in Lagos is run on 3 models; (1) segregated lanes (2) priority lanes (3) regular bus service.
1) Segregated lanes: A concrete divider is erected on the road to section off one lane from the others. The sectioned off lane is reserved for BRT buses. This ensures that the BRT buses are not caught up in traffic jams.
Segregated lane
2) Priority lanes: A yellow line is drawn on the road to demarcate the BRT lane. At peak periods (rush hour, etc) this lane is reserved for BRT buses. At other times any vehicle can use this lane.
Priority lane
3) Regular bus service: There is no segregated or priority BRT lane.
The Lagos State Government maintains the BRT lanes, while concessionaires procure and maintain the buses.
Concessionaires on the BRT scheme include LAGBUS Asset Management Company (which is owned by the Lagos State Government), National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Cooperative, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), etc.
The buses are painted either blue or red. Some buses are air-conditioned, while others have fans in them. Some buses also have flat screens in them and passengers are treated to movies while they commute to their destinations.
Passengers purchase bus tickets from ticketers stationed at the various bus stops. Payment can also be made with the passenger's debit card, via POS terminals placed in the buses.
Concessionaires also make extra income via advertisements pasted on the sides of the buses. Paid adverts are also played on the Flat screen TVs.
New routes have been opened including Yaba to CMS, Obalende to Ikorodu, Obalende to Ajah, Oshodi to CMS, Oshodi to Obalende, Broad Street to Egbeda, etc.
Some of the routes have segregated lanes (eg Yaba to CMS), while some use priority lanes (eg Obalende to Oshodi).
On Ikorodu Road, the introduction of the BRT system has led to restrictions on which vehicle can ply which lane. Danfo and molue buses are restricted to the service lanes, private vehicles can ply the express and the service lanes, while only BRT buses are allowed to ply the BRT lane.
In recent years, citizens have complained about the state of the BRT buses. Some of the buses are very dirty and look like they have not been washed in months. The glue from advertisements pasted on the bus also glues dirt to the bus and sometimes peels off the paint.
Artist impression of Marina after the rail project is completed (BRT, LRT, ferry and regular bus services).
The Lagos Rail Transit (LRT) system will be similar to the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in the sense that the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) will build and maintain the tracks, while the concessionaire will procure and maintain the trains.
Already, the concessionaire on the blue line has procured H5 and H6 subway cars from the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), a public transit operator based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, (as their transit operator is acquring its new articulated six-car fixed Toronto Rocket subway cars to replace the older cars). The cars have been refurbshed and converted to surface rail cars. Lagos State Government will build a dedicated independent power plant to provide electricity to the system.
Badagry Expressway before the rail project
Artist impression of Badagry Expressway after the rail project is completed (10 lanes +BRT & LRT)
The Blue Line.
The Lagos-Badagry Expressway is part of the abandoned Trans-African Highway project. However, it is prone to massive traffic jams. This has stunted development along that corridor since people don't want to live and work in that area because of the traffic problems.
Therefore, the Lagos State Government is expanding the road. It will be a 10 lane expressway with BRT and LRT routes. Julius Berger is expanding the road (so far they've expanded the road between Orile and Mile 2 and expanded the Mile 2 Bridge), while Chinese Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC) is laying the tracks. It's largely going to be an elevated rail system (CCECC has built part oof the bridge along the Orile axis and they are also building elevated stations from Orile too Mile 2).
Blue line stations will include:
1) Marina
2) Ebutte Ero
3) Iddo
4) National Theatre
5) Iganmu
6) Alaba
7) Mile 2
8 ) Festac
9) Alakija (Satellite Town)
10) Trade Fair Complex
11) Volkswagen
12) Lasu Gate
13) Okokomaiko.
Blue Line station map
Red Line stations include:
1) Marina
2) Ebutte Ero
3) Iddo
4) Ebutte Metta
5) Yaba
6) Jibowu
7) Mushin
8 ) Oshodi
9) Shogunle
10) Murtala Mohammed Airport (an arm of the line will branch off to the airport)
11) Ikeja
12) Agege
13) Iju
14) Agbado
Red Line station map
Lamata has proposed 7 lines. They are:
1) Blue line: Okokomaiko-Marina 2) Red Line: Agbado-MMIA-Marina 3) Green Line: Lekki Airport-Marina 4) Yellow Line: Otta-Iddo 5) Purple Line: Redeemed Camp-Ojo 6) Brown Line: Mile 12 - Marina 7) Orange Line: Redeemed Camp-Marina
Apapa Wharf with people going to work - the ferry between Apapa and Lagos Island. Photo by Harry Knoop 1959-1960 from the Nigerian Nostalgia Project 1960-1980.
As I said at the beginning, an important factor in providing transport facilities in Lagos state has always been the aquatic nature of the state. In the 1970s when Lagos was still the federal capital, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) operated ferry services to Apapa, CMS, Ebute-Ero and other locations. Later, the state government under the Lateef Jakande administration also came up with its ferry service when it purchased its ferry boats “Baba Kekere” and “Ita Faji”. The Ferry Services Corporation was established to run the service. The effective and efficient service run by the corporation has still continued to be a reference point in the state well over 25 years after. In the 1980s the Babangida administration adopted the integrated mass transit policy and consequently, the National Inland Waterways Authority ran ferry services in Lagos, using jetties at Osborne Road Ikoyi, Ebute-Ero, Maroko, CMS, Apapa, etc.
National Inland Waterway ferry beside a Nimasa patrol boat.
Private operators have always run ferry services in Lagos and they range from individuals using giant canoes to organizations like the defunct Texas Connection Ferries and Tarzan Boats, which use large boats (known as water buses) and even run car ferry services. An amusing dimension to ferry services in Lagos State, is the introduction of “water molues” by some ferry operators.
Water Molue The State Ferry Service Corporation is no more in operation as the National Inland Waterways Authority Act (Repeal) Law 2008 created the Lagos State Waterways Authority, which is already functional with a supervisory board inaugurated by Governor Fashola to monitor the private operators and ensure they operate within the provisions of the Inland Waterways Law.
Amongst the concessionaires on the ferry system are Fikki Express and Tarzan. Tarzan also runs the popular car ferry between Ikoyi (Queens Drive), Victoria Island (Maroko) and Lekki (Admiralty Road), while Fikki Express also provides tourist and leisure boats services. Both Tarzan and Fikki also run restaurant/bar services. The concessionaires procure the ferries and run the services, while the government constructs the jetties and dredges the designated routes.
In order to sustain this development as well as attract Lagosians to water transportation, the state government has been constructing jetties at Ikorodu, Osborne and Badore, in addition to dredging ferry routes. These include Ikorodu-Badore via Oreta, Baiyeku-Ijede, Ikorodu-Osborne, Badore-Lekki, Oke Afa-Mile 2 and Tolu/Ajegunle-Port Novo Creeks-Liverpool. Also, repairs are being carried out on Epeme and Iya Afin jetties. When all the designated corridors for the ferry service become fully operational, this will certainly reduce reliance on roads as sole means of transportation.
Today, from one operation route in 2007, Lagos is running water transport on 12 routes under the supervision of Lagos State Waterways Authority, while passenger traffic has grown to over one million passengers per month. The routes are Ikorodu-Marina/CMS; Marina-Mile 2; Ikorodu-Addax/Falomo; Ikorodu-Ebute Ero; Marina-Ijegun Egba-Ebute-Ojo; Mile 2-Marina/CMS-Mekwen-Falomo; Badore-Ijede; Badore-Five Cowries; Marina-Oworonshonki; Ebute Ojo-Ijegun Egba; Oworonshonki-Five Cowries; and Baiyeku-Langbasa. Other routes include Ijede-Badore, Badore-Admiralty-Osborne-Marina, Ikorodu-Marina, Ijegun Egbe around Okokomaiko that will burst out at Mile 2 to Marina, Oke-Afa in Isolo to Festac to Mile 2 to Marina, Ajegunle to Marina and Iddo to Marina. This has also created additional new jobs with multiplier effects on families and the society.
In January I finally took the trip that I promised Jason123 that I would take. I went to visit my “second family” in Ikorodu and deliberately decided to take the ferry from Baiyeku (Ikorodu) to Oke-Ira (Lekki/Ajah). We paid the fare, got our ticket and waited in the waiting room. When the boat came, we raced to grab a small life jacket each (Laswa laws make them mandatory) and dashed to the jetty. The boat is basically a giant metallic canoe with an out board engine. The journey lasted just a few minutes and it was quite pleasant.
The concessionaires have pulled their resources together to form Eko Water Buses Limited. They have ordered for 60 ferries, each with a 200 passenger capacity, from the Aluminium Boats Company of Brisbane, Australia.
With the ongoing redevelopment of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway incorporating BRT, light rail, and other modern road infrastructure, the introduction of privately-operated modern taxis service, in addition to the now famous BRT alternative, along with ongoing efforts to promote water transportation, one can indeed say the Lagos State government is working hard to transform public transportation in the state.
naptu2: [size=14pt]Lagos Cable Car Transit system (LCCT).[/size]
The Lagos Cable Car Transit system is a cable car system that will be built and operated by the Doppelmayr Group. It is the brainchild of Michael Doppelmayr.
The Doppelmayr Garaventa Group is an Austrian company that manufactures chairlifts, cable cars, gondolas, surface tows for ski and amusement parks as well as urban people movers and material handling systems. To date, Doppelmayr and Garaventa have produced over 13,700 installations in 78 countries. The Doppelmayr Garaventa Group was formed in 2002 when Doppelmayr of Wolfurt, Austria merged with Garaventa AG of Switzerland to form the world's largest ropeway manufacturer.
Doppelmayr was founded in Wolfurt Austria in 1892. Artur Doppelmayr, the son of the founder, took over in 1967. In 1996, Doppelmayr's holding company purchased Von Roll, a Swiss maker of gondolas and cable cars. In 2002, Doppelmayr acquired CWA, a Swiss maker of gondola and cable car cabins. The merger of Doppelmayr and Garaventa was announced in 2001 and completed in 2002.
The company was selected in April 2011 as one of a consortium to build London's Cable Car system
DCC Doppelmayr Cable Car is a supplier of Automated People Movers (APM) based in Wolfurt, Austria. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Doppelmayr Garaventa Group.[1] Their main product is the ropeway-propelled CABLE Liner shuttle used in airports, city centres, intermodal passenger transport connections, park and ride facilities, campuses, resorts, and amusement parks.
In 2003, after the world’s only Maglev transport system at Birmingham International Airport fell into disrepair, DCC installed the "AirRail Link" to replace the Maglev and temporary replacement bus-service that had been operating since 1995.
DCC is an ISO 9001:2000 certified company.
Company history
DCC was established by the Doppelmayr Group in 1996.
•1999: completion of the Mandalay Bay Tram in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA •2002: Doppelmayr merged with Garaventa Group •2002: completion of AirRail Link at Birmingham International Airport, UK •2006: completion of the LINK Train in Toronto, Canada •2006: award of Automated People Mover contract for the City of Venice, Italy •2006: award of contract for MGM Mirage CityCenter in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA •2007: completion of the Cable Liner Shuttle at Mexico City International Airport •2007: award of Automated People Mover contract for the New Doha International Airport in Qatar •2012: completion of the Emirates Air Line (cable car) in London
Michael Doppelmayr watched the BBC documentary, “Welcome to Lagos” and had the idea to build a cable car system in Lagos. He felt that the idea would definitely succeed because of the sheer population density of Lagos. He did his research and discovered that, by 2015, Lagos will be the third largest urban agglomeration in the world, with a population of about 25 million people.
He made contact with some Nigerian businessmen and Ropeways Transport Limited was formed. The chief executive officer of Ropeways Transport Limited is Captain Dapo Olumide, former CEO of Virgin Nigeria.
Ropeways Limited proposed 3 routes to Lamata. They are:
Lamata has approved the routes and granted Ropeways the right of way. This was officially formalised via a tripartite agreement between Ropeways Limited, LAMATA and the Lagos State Government.
The idea behind the selection of these routes is to decongest the three bridges connecting Lagos Island to the Mainland (Carter, Eko and Third Mainland bridges), decongest the two bridges connecting Lagos Island to Victoria Island (Onikan and Five Cowry bridges) and connect the port and industrial district (Apapa) with the central business district (Marina). The Lagos Cable Car Transit system will be 12km long. A journey from Apapa to Adeniji will take roughly 4 minutes.
The project will be funded by a loan from the African Development Bank (ADB). The project will cost $500 million and it is expected that fares will be around 100 – 300 naira.
The project will have 5 sources of power viz – (1) The Independent Power Project (IPP) on the Island (2) Gas (3) Diesel (4) Turbines (5) Inverters (which will provide 30 minutes back-up power).
An interview with Captain Dapo Olumide (CEO of Ropways Limited) on Channels Television’s Sunrise programme.
geeez: In a bid to give Nigeria’s most populous city an effective transport system, the state government has announced plans to introduce bicycles lanes on major roads across the city.
Mannie leading this year's participants in Park and Ride This announcement was made by the Commissioner for Transportation in Lagos, Mr Kayode Opeifa, on Sunday at a cycling event ‘Park and Ride’ which urge Nigerians to park their cars and ride bicycles for an enhanced lifestyle and cleaner environment.
Speaking at the event as the special guest, Mr Opeifa noted that “the bicycle programme is on and pretty soon, you will see some roads in Lagos, marked as bike zones.”
According to the Commissioner, “what is alternative to Okada (motorcycle) is the bicycle.”
This is coming at a time when the state government is still embroiled in controversy with the Okada riders over their restriction to ride on some highways in the city and a recent clampdown on them for defaulting the new Lagos Traffic law.
Discouraging the use of okada on walkable distance, the Commissioner stated that “anybody who wants to take a bike (okada) from their house to the bus stop, should use their bicycles.”
“And when they (commuters in Lagos) get to the bus stop they should tie their bikes to the poles provided at the bus stop and join the BRT buses.” “The poles we are providing at the bus stops are not for decorations but for people to tie their bicycles” he added.
“All over the world, from London to Stockholm to Buenos Aires, people now ride their bikes to work because it saves the environment of the gaseous emissions that is harmful to the environment.”
He also noted that cycling will enhance people’s lifestyle and thereby improve their productive and lifespan which he claims will also have a resultant effect on the nation’s GDP.
Acknowledging that the tropical weather in Lagos will make it uncomfortable for cyclers, the Commissioner noted that “yes, the weather will make people sweat but offices will be urged to provide showers” to ameliorate the discomfort.
This he claimed is done across the world.
Park n Ride is an annual event organized by On Air personality, Mannie of CoolFM Lagos, which urges people to park their cars and ride bicycles in a bid to address climate change and improve people’s lifestyle.
geeez: In a bid to give Nigeria’s most populous city an effective transport system, the state government has announced plans to introduce bicycles lanes on major roads across the city.
Mannie leading this year's participants in Park and Ride This announcement was made by the Commissioner for Transportation in Lagos, Mr Kayode Opeifa, on Sunday at a cycling event ‘Park and Ride’ which urge Nigerians to park their cars and ride bicycles for an enhanced lifestyle and cleaner environment.
Speaking at the event as the special guest, Mr Opeifa noted that “the bicycle programme is on and pretty soon, you will see some roads in Lagos, marked as bike zones.”
According to the Commissioner, “what is alternative to Okada (motorcycle) is the bicycle.”
This is coming at a time when the state government is still embroiled in controversy with the Okada riders over their restriction to ride on some highways in the city and a recent clampdown on them for defaulting the new Lagos Traffic law.
Discouraging the use of okada on walkable distance, the Commissioner stated that “anybody who wants to take a bike (okada) from their house to the bus stop, should use their bicycles.”
“And when they (commuters in Lagos) get to the bus stop they should tie their bikes to the poles provided at the bus stop and join the BRT buses.” “The poles we are providing at the bus stops are not for decorations but for people to tie their bicycles” he added.
“All over the world, from London to Stockholm to Buenos Aires, people now ride their bikes to work because it saves the environment of the gaseous emissions that is harmful to the environment.”
He also noted that cycling will enhance people’s lifestyle and thereby improve their productive and lifespan which he claims will also have a resultant effect on the nation’s GDP.
Acknowledging that the tropical weather in Lagos will make it uncomfortable for cyclers, the Commissioner noted that “yes, the weather will make people sweat but offices will be urged to provide showers” to ameliorate the discomfort.
This he claimed is done across the world.
Park n Ride is an annual event organized by On Air personality, Mannie of CoolFM Lagos, which urges people to park their cars and ride bicycles in a bid to address climate change and improve people’s lifestyle.
naptu2: Skills Acquisition Centers. The Lagos State Skills Acquisition Centers are set up for people who do not have jobs, to enable them to learn skills that will enable them earn a living. Any unemployed person can attend the skills acquisition centres, but there is also a special set of people who are sent to the centres by the government after being screened. These set of people are the area boys, homeless, street traders, beggars, etc.
Below is the process for the special class of attendees:
[size=14pt]The Process[/size]
1)The environmental laws of Lagos State (laws against street trading, begging, etc) have been in place at least since the 1970s (probably earlier). They've been reviewed quite a number of times (Akhigbe, Rasaki, Tinubu).
2) The process was fully established by the Tinubu Administration.
3) Beggars, street traders, destitutes, area boys, psychotics, etc are arrested by the Task Force on Environmental Offences.
4) They are given a choice: (a) go to prison (b) go to rehabilitation centre (c) return to your state of origin.
A) The law stipulates punishment for those who commit these offences. They include prison term, fine, forfeiture of goods.
B) Rehabilitation centres were set up (the most famous/infamous was at Ita-Oko Island). At the centres the inmates are sorted. They are tested for drugs. Those who are drug addicts are detoxified. Those who have mental illnesses are sent to the asylum. The inmates (apart from the lunatics) are then taught skills (skills acquisition centre) so that they'll be able to earn a living. When they complete the course, they are given a loan with which they will start a business and made to sign an undertaking that they will not return to the streets.
C) Return: Those who choose to return are transported to their state of origin. The state government is usually informed ahead of time (although I know of 3 instances in which their state governments claimed that they were not informed) so that they can make arrangements to cater for the people. Most of the people who have chosen to return are from the northern part of the country (note: they chose to return).
naptu2: Students of the skills acquisition centres make the costumes that are used for the annual Lagos Carnival, while sponsors of the carnival bear the cost (participants in the carnival are given the costumes for free).
Upon graduation they are given interest free loans by the Lagos Micro-Finance Institution (LASMI).
[size=14pt]Fashola Hands Over Mushin (17th) Skills Acquisition And Vocational Centre (pics)[/size]
Eko Ile:
Press Releases
Fashola Hands Over Mushin Skills Acquisition And Vocational Centre …Says 13,422 men, women have so far been trained through them
Feb 15, 2011 - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola on Tuesday handed over the 17th Skills Acquisition and Vocational Centre in the State located at Mushin, revealing that the State has so far trained about 13,422 men and women.
Governor Fashola who spoke at the official commissioning of the Mushin Skill Acquisition Centre said from Amuwo Odofin, Badagry, Egan, Egbeda and Ejigbo, through Eredo, Iba, Ibeju Leki, Igbooye, Ikorodu and Kosofe to Lagos Island, Shibiri in Ojo, Surulere and Agege, the State has continually turned out thousands of young men and women with productive skills with which they are putting food on thousands of tables and contributing to the economy of the State.
The Governor said apart from the sustained support which the State gives to the ordinary people, Government has evolved a people oriented policy of facilitating training for the young people to acquire skills and granting them access to credit to start their own businesses, Government has also created a database for them to establish their location and for them to relate with themselves through the compilation and publication of the Lagos State Business Directory which is similar to "Yellow Pages".
He said beyond all the support for ordinary people, the State has evolved a people oriented policy of patronizing the local manufacturers and entrepreneurs over the foreign producers.
He recalled that the 2010 Lagos Carnival is a clear testimony of the practice as the over 93, 000 pieces of costumes used for the carnival that could have been imported much cheaper was commissioned for local production.
He stressed that the decision to site skill acquisition centres in different parts of the state was part of the administration's resolve to encourage young people to acquire vocational skills and create an avenue to make money and sustain themselves.
Governor Fashola expressed his worry at the recent policy shift by the Federal Government which allows importation of furniture, toothpick, textiles and vehicles of 15 years into the country.
He described the step as an economic tragedy for the nation which is not defensible and called for its reversal.
Governor Fashola stressed that the frenzy of importation has killed the local economy leading to high rate of unemployment and noting that smuggling could be tamed by well structured security mechanisms rather than throwing the flood gates open of goods to all sorts.
"This policy decision is not the answer to the problem of smuggling. The answer to the problem of smuggling lies rather in a methodical and multi-dimensional response. It includes the strengthening of the Customs through technology such as scanners, to improving the local productive capacity of our people and reducing dependence on imports and its attraction", he added.
He said if the Federal Government reverses the policy on importation and concentrate on stimulating the growth of the local industry through accelerated electricity supply, "our freight forwarders, our customs and our ports will become busier from a positive reversal of fortunes that is driven by an export oriented economy rather than an import driven economy".
He urged the people to vote massively for all the candidates of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Lagos because it is the only party that can deliver the goods which is very visible for everyone to see.
He urged the people of Lagos State not to give the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) any chance to rule in any part of the country anymore, adding that it is a party that is rebranding on a vision that is giving Nigerians insecurity and inflicting a nightmare on the people.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said the location of the centre in Mushin is informed by the administration's policy of tackling poverty and women empowerment at the grassroots.
She said the numerous skill acquisition programmes of the Ministry has offered diverse opportunities to all classes of Lagosians to learn various vocations after which they are provided with needed capital and conducive environment to start practicing their trade.
Mrs Orelope-Adefulire said that so far, over 60,000 grassroots women and youths have been trained in year 2010 alone through the Acquisition centres.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of Mushin Local Government, Mr Babatunde Adepitan said the construction of the Skills Acquisition Centre in Mushin at that particular spot is another miracle of the century which could be better compared to what happened at Oshodi.
He said as a responsible Government the Council received the gift with both hands and has complimented the efforts of the State by immediately constructing all the roads leading to the centre.
In a message of solidarity Commissioner for Environment, Dr Muiz Banire who is also an indigene of the area commended Governor Babatunde Fashola and his team for a job well done in transforming Lagos State.
He said the site of the project was hitherto a major security risk for the residents of the area just as it also constituted an environmental disaster spot, saying through the resourcefulness of the present administration, it has been transformed.
The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Governor, Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan, members of the State Executive Council, members of the National Assembly and State Assembly representing Mushin and political leaders as well as enthusiastic residents of the area who trooped out to receive the Governor witness the event.
naptu2: [size=14pt]LASMI to partner financially capable microfinance banks[/size]
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March 21, 2011 | 3:53 pm
Finance
By Amaka Abayomi
In its bid to eradicate poverty and financially empower Lagosians, the Chairman of Lagos State Microfinance Institution (LASMI), Bashorun Alabi-Macfoy, has said the Institute is willing to partner with financially capable microfinance banks, MFBs, that have good assets and customer base to achieve total self empowerment of the poor.
Speaking to Vanguard, Alabi-Macfoy said government has set aside a huge sum of money for micro lending and this would need MFBs to facilitate it.
“For 2011, we are looking at continuation with MFBs because LASMI is looking for financially capable MFBs that have good asset and customer base, particularly those that are good at group or cooperative lending to partner with.
“To this end, we have sent out our monitoring officers to watch their activities and visit their customers to see how they are performing because these would serve as pointers for us to know how to deal with them this year. But we would mainly deal with MFBs that concentrate on group rather than individual lending because the group pressure would force all the members not to default on payment.”
Alabi-Macfoy said government, through LASMI, has been doing a lot to eradicate poverty and 250,000 people were empowered in 2010.
[b]“In 2010, we extended our activities to the taxi cab operators who needed micro_funding because they get people to buy used vehicles for them and they deliver an agreed amount daily. At the end, they are poorer and the vehicles don’t belong to them.
“Government to come up with a programme to partner with the taxi operators through the driver-owner scheme and at the same time, put new taxis on the road that would suite the mega city programme of the state government.
“We went into agreement with some commercial banks for loan facilities and First Bank gave about N350 million for the purchase of 150 taxi cabs which we paid equity contribution on. The operators were registered through the Ministry of Transport and were asked to repay the loans monthly.
We charge them 12 per cent which is far lower than the 22 per cent First Bank charged us. Also, LASMI single-handedly purchased 100 taxi cabs at the cost of N270 million and they are to repay the loan over 3 years.
“The second major project was the Agric-YES programme, which is a youth empowerment scheme in agriculture in Epe, Lagos and N500m loans have been given through the Agric-YES project. There, young school leavers and graduates are trained in farming, poultry and fishing and it is affiliated to the University of Agriculture, Israel.
“Some Israeli and Nigerian agriculturist teach them and some of the best students among the first 100 that started the programme were given scholarship to Israel for further studies.
“Government did this for them to be able to produce enough food for sale and to groom young farmers. After the training, they form themselves into cooperatives and government gives them land and loans to buy the equipment that they will need.”[/b]
Alabi-Macfoy said because the state government wants to ensure that as much people benefit from these revolving loans, LASMI intends to increase the number of beneficiaries through its partnership with MFBs.
Though the state chairman of the National Association of Microfinance Bank, Mr. Olufemi Babajide, said they have received 183 applications from MFBs that want to partner with LASMI, Alabi_Macfoy said LASMI is capable of working with as much MFBs as possible, though the institute has not received any application.
“Though we have not received any application from the state executives, but government has set aside a huge amount of money for micro lending. But we would mainly deal with MFBs that concentrate on group rather than individual lending because the group pressure would force all the members not to default on payment.
“That said, our lending process is in two stages. First, applications are made here and management would review the financials of the MFBs and make recommendations which would be passed to the Board. From there, they are sent to the Investment Committee of the Board which again reviews them and recommends those we would partner with and how much would be committed based on their financials.
“The second stage is seeking the governor’s approval for the release of fund. But we would try as much as possible to first consider those operating in rural areas.”
He urged MFBs to employ the use of biometric system of identification of customers to mitigate the occurrence of bad debts.
“The major reason for the huge bad debt they face is that they rushed into microfinancing without doing thorough customer identification and this is the cause of the bad loans. Most times, they do not go to where their customers conduct their businesses to know if they are doing what they said they do.
“Another factor is the high level of poverty in the land and the lenient collateral on MFB loans which made most people to take advantage of the situation and disappeared with their money. Even their staffs are not left out as some of them disappear with customers’ money
“So, for them to overcome the issue of bad loans, they need to instill proper corporate governance by ensuring that their staffs take their supervisory roles serious. They should also avoid the temptation of going for big offices, flashy cars and the likes.
“That is why we are looking for MFBs that concentrate on group lending because the members know each other and would urge the other person to pay up to enable them apply for another loan. For instance, the Agric-YES loans are given to groups of farmers and are insured by the Agricultural Cooperative Bank, which was set up by government.
“Despite the fact that government trains and makes money available to them, they are required to register as cooperatives and the money given to them is supervised by those who train them in the farm.
naptu2: Do you know that Lagos State has acquired farmland in Ogun State and is in discussions with Kogi and other states to acquire more farmland in those areas? Do you know why it is doing this? That's the story of the YES Agricultural Empowerment Scheme for unemployed school leavers and others.
Programmes like these are not as sexy as cable stayed bridge and Eko Atlantic City, so they don't get as much column inches in the newspapers.
GARRI (x7): [size=14pt]Lagos acquires 50 hectares of land in Abuja, and Ogun to cultivate food[/size]
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has revealed that the state government has acquired about 50 hectares of land in Abuja and neighbouring Ogun State for cultivation of food to support its agriculture and job-creation scheme.
Fashola made this known on Wednesday while he was speaking about the state government’s agricultural scheme as he was presenting the states 2013 budget estimated at N497.277billion to the State House of assembly.
Admitting the challenge of limited land in the coastal city, the governor stated that “due to the limited amount of land the State has to cultivate, the administration is pursuing a radical alternative of acquiring land for farming outside Lagos.”
According to the Governor, “the administration has already secured 50 hectares in Abuja, and Ogun State which is four times bigger than Lagos in land size for cultivation.” He added that “other States such as Bauchi, Osun, Ekiti, Oyo and Katsina are favourably considering the State’s requests for farm lands.”
The administration is also cultivating 75 hectares of land for rice under its Rice for Jobs programme while the irrigation project to improve, yield and produce rice per hectare is progressing positively in Badagry.
Reeling out his administration’s further achievement in the agricultural sector, the governor stated that the 500 hectares of land was recently allocated for rice farming to feed the Imota Rice mill just as his administration has successfully completed the Imota Rice Mill in Ikorodu, the Erikorodo Feed Mill, the Erikorodo Chicken Processing Plant, also in Ikorodu and revitalized Ikorodu Fish Farm Estate.
The governor added that in Epe, the Agric Youth Empowerment Scheme is progressing with the training of a new batch of 200 graduates for whom the Executive Council recently approved the release of N500M that will be given to them shortly along with one hectare of land per farmer to enable them start formal production.
[size=14pt]Gov Amosun Allocates 500 Hectares Of Land To Lagos State[/size]
miqos02: The Ogun State Government on Wednesday allocated 500 hectares of land to the Lagos State Government for agricultural purposes.
The government said this in a statement jointly signed by the governors of Ogun and Lagos states, Ibikunle Amosun and Babatunde Fashola, at the end of a meeting between the two states.
The meeting which lasted about one hour was held at the Government House, Oke-Igbein, Abeokuta.
The statement added that the land in Eggua, Yewa North Local Government Area would be used for agricultural development.
It also said the letter of allocation for the land was presented to Fashola during the meeting.
Amosun also handed over Certificate of Occupancy of Iju Water Works to Fashola during the meeting.
The statement reads in part, “The request for agricultural land by Lagos State Government has been granted and a letter of allocation in respect of 500 hectares in Eggua (Yewa North) was presented by Amosun to Fashola.
“The Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) in respect of Iju Water Works was also handed over to the Lagos State Governor, while re-connaissance of Adiyan Water Works land area is ongoing.”
The two governors re-affirmed their committment towards regional integration of the South-West.
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