*Ask FG to apologise to Lagosians

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sympathized with Nigerians living in Lagos following the ban on the use of commercial motorcycles (Okada) and tricycles (Keke Marwa) in the state. The party, however, noted that the ordeal should be blamed on President Muhammadu Buhari who, in 1985, terminated the initial Lagos Metro Rail Line project started by the government of Alhaji Lateef Jakande to facilitate mass transportation within Lagos, as Nigeria’s commercial nerve center, and surrounding cities.

The PDP, in a statement on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, argued that if Buhari did not terminate “that laudable project” by the Lagos state government, Lagosians would not be suffering the transportation infrastructure deficit they are faced with today.

The PDP called on the federal government to apologise to Lagos state for terminating the metro rail line and take urgent steps to address the transport situation in the state. The party also asked the Lagos state government to adopt alternatives to ease the suffering of the people as their welfare ought to be its primary focus of governance.

“By now, Lagos state would have been boasting of state-of- the-art transportation infrastructure and facilities with associated economic boom like her peers in other parts of the world. “It is saddening to note that not only did the termination of the initial metro line slowed down and almost crippled development in Lagos, President Buhari’s current administration has also continued to fail to take conclusive step to address the transportation challenges in Lagos, despite outcries by Nigerians. “Furthermore, leaders of Lagos state have consistently demanded a special status recognition for the state, expectedly, to ease infrastructural quagmire of the state.

“They would have expected that with the level of support Lagosian reportedly gave to President Buhari in 2015 and 2019, Mr. President would have addressed the needs of the state as a commercial nerve center of our nation. “Such attitude toward the development of a city such as Lagos shows that the APC has no interest in the growth of our nation and the welfare of our citizens,” the party said.

BuhariAdvocate:
Useless talk. For the over 16years they spent they couldn't construct good roads not to talk of Metro Rail Line.

clarocuzioo:


So you don't know that the disaster you defend is responsible for the traffic challenge in Lagos State.

Buhari over threw the first democratically elected president of this country thus sending the nation to sixteen years of military jaunta.

Buhari cancelled the Lagos metro line project.

Buhari cancelled the fourth mainland bridge project, so you can see the disaster you always defend is anti progressive.

Twice the nation entered recession, twice USA handed Nigeria visa ban, the interesting thing is that during those period, one person was the head of state, and that is Gen. Buhari.

So his backwardness did not start today. Buhari administration has always brought hardship to Nigerians.

Ayoswit:
Would anything good come out from this govt?

BuhariAdvocate:
Useless talk. For the over 16years they spent they couldn't construct good roads not to talk of Metro Rail Line.

[s]BuhariAdvocate:
Useless talk. For the over 16years they spent they couldn't construct good roads not to talk of Metro Rail Line[/s].

clarocuzioo:


So you don't know that the disaster you defend is responsible for the traffic challenge in Lagos State.

Buhari over threw the first democratically elected president of this country thus sending the nation to sixteen years of military jaunta.

Buhari cancelled the Lagos metro line project.

Buhari cancelled the fourth mainland bridge project, so you can see the disaster you always defend is anti progressive.

Twice the nation entered recession, twice USA handed Nigeria visa ban, the interesting thing is that during those period, one person was the head of state, and that is Gen. Buhari.

So his backwardness did not start today. Buhari administration has always brought hardship to Nigerians.

BuhariAdvocate:
Useless talk. For the over 16years they spent they couldn't construct good roads not to talk of Metro Rail Line.

TTC in talks to sell old trains to Lagos. Are they safe enough?
AUGUST 10, 2011

As Toronto trainspotters gleefully take maiden rides on the TTC's Rocket, commuters in Lagos, Nigeria may be about to get some new trains of their own. Our old ones.

A TTC spokesperson has confirmed that the commission is negotiating with a private group to sell up to 260 used train cars to the West African megacity's new transit project.

"I can confirm that the TTC is in discussion with a third party that wants to purchase trains for Lagos," said commission spokesperson Brad Ross. "Over a period of time, they will be taken out of service and then transported over to Nigeria."

The cars being considered for sale are the TTC's old H-5 and H-6 models, which will be decommissioned as the TTC rolls out its new fleet of Rockets. Ross predicts the earliest they could be shipped to Nigeria is sometime in 2012.

Traffic snarls are already a major economic problem in the Nigerian capital, a booming city that will reach an estimated population of 25 million by 2015. A new above-ground rail system designed to carry 1.5 million people a day has already broken ground, and Lagos Governor Babtunde Fashola has said it "will be the most multi-dimensional and most impactful" of the government's efforts to reduce traffic congestion.

Fashola visited Toronto earlier this year to inspect the TTC trains.

The Lagos deal would be the first of its kind for the TTC. Decommissioned cars are usually sold for scrap metal and can fetch up to $1,500 dollar each. While Ross declined to discuss specific figures, he says the sticker price for Lagos is "significantly more" than scrap prices, putting the potential profits to the TTC in the millions of dollars.

It is not unusual for technology from western nations to end up in poorer countries. Marketplaces in Africa and Asia are flooded with North American clothes, computers, and even cars, but the purchase of larger technology like trains is rarer.

The cars will have to be significantly refurbished to fit existing infrastructure in Lagos, and some Nigerian media reports have lamented that the government appears to have settled on "tokundo," or used, trains instead of brand new vehicles.

Although half the cars are more than 30 years old, Ross is adamant they are perfectly safe and are only being decommissioned for capacity reasons. But he also admitted the TTC is not required to make sure the cars meet any safety standards before selling them.

"Once sold, it's up to the new operator to ensure they are in good working order," he said. "They do need to be maintained much more frequently than the new trains, simply because of their age. At some point they will run out their useful life."

Murtaza Haider, director of the Institute of Housing and Mobility at Ryerson University, said the age of the cars is definitely a cause for concern.

"We should be ensuring that there is some service life left in these vehicles and we're not going to be playing havoc with the lives of those who would ride these vehicles," Haider said. "There's metal fatigue, and that metal fatigue could result in dangerous conditions. I would be paying a close watch on this for the next ten years to see how many accidents do happen in Lagos."

He also warned that while rail systems are glamorous as far as transit infrastructure goes, they are not always as effective at reducing congestion as other options. Nevertheless, new rail systems are frequently preferred because governments can take advantage of kickbacks from large contracts.

According to media reports, the cost estimates for the Lagos rail project have varied wildly from $1.2 billion to $30 billion. In 2010, a Nigerian government watchdog accused Fashola's government of widespread corruption.

"More often than not, politicians favour rail transit because it is more expensive," Haider said. "It's almost useless in some cases, and less productive in most cases, than a bus system. But you can't buy busses for $30 billion. You can inflate prices and make a lot of money buying a rail system."

From: https://nowtoronto.com/news/next-stop-nigeria/

ojuoluwani:
LAGOS State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, yesterday, gave a breakdown of how his administration expended the N160 billion World Bank loan it acquired, saying the state maintained a healthy debt profile.

Fashoa, who spoke during his commemoration of 2,700 days in office and achievements in the last 100 days, in Alausa, Ikeja, said long overdue refund would go a long way in reducing the debt profile of the State, which he said the Federal Government recently published to mislead the public.

He said, “Recently, our political adversaries issued statements that we have borrowed N160 billion. What they have not told you is what we are doing with the money.”

Enumerating his government’s activities within the period under consideration he said; “In the last 100 days, we have commenced work on providing street lighting on the Muritala Muhammed Way in Yaba.

This is 10 kilometres of public lighting which will be completed by the end of this month. On Eko Bridge, Carter Bridge, Ikorodu Road, Lekki-Epe Expressway and every street and highway where there is street lighting in Lagos, it is the Lagos State Government that supplied the poles, the bulbs, the diesel and the maintenance.

“The only major highway we are not managing for street lights is the 3rd Mainland Bridge.

Fire engines, to secure lives, rail transport from Okokomaiko to Marina, with four stations of eight kilometres completed, and work heading to Marina, with piles appearing near the Eko Bridge every day are the places your Government is spending money. The expansion of the Lagos Badagry Expressway to a 10-lane highway is another place where your Government is spending money.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/lagos-spent-n160-bn-world-bank-loan-fashola/

Sannisege:
did anything good come out of PDP for 16 years?

Previous Govts Initiated ‘Most Of The Things This Administration Is Doing’ – Adesina

A majority of the projects the Muhammadu Buhari administration is working on was inherited from previous administrations, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity has said.

Mr Femi Adesina said this when he appeared on Channels Television’s special Independence anniversary programme on Sunday.

“Most of the things this administration is doing – 60 to 70 percent of them – were initiated by previous governments,” he said.

“That shows you that in the past a government will come and say ‘this is not our project’ And it will discard what was being done and start fresh ones.”

As a result, Mr Adesina said there are many half and quarter-completed abandoned projects.
But rather than abandon the project, he explained that the current administration will complete it.

An example is the Abuja-Kaduna rail project which the Presidential aide said was up to maybe 60 to 70 percent complete when the last administration left.

https://www.channelstv.com/2017/10/01/previous-govts-initiated-most-of-the-things-this-administration-is-doing-adesina/

munas:
Jan 02, 2015

https://www.nairaland.com/2072606/new-year-train-ride-portharcourt

Its new year and guys are traveling to spend time and celebrate with family and friends.
A friend of my just sent in these picture about his journey from Port Harcourt To Enugu yesterday
in the new train.

Below are the pictures



www.nairaland.com/attachments/1991438_train2_jpeg5fdbcc40c1493380d4e290e519e45015


www.nairaland.com/attachments/1991439_train3_jpeg3394f7b06a6446997d181ab362c1ccbd


www.nairaland.com/attachments/1991443_train7_jpeg0c769656344a5026a08ce08f71f487c2

Pavarottii:
People left the message and attacked the messenger... Nigerians truly deserve what they are getting from its leaders... Govt please tax carbonated drinks, increase fuel to 200, privatise our teaching hospitals so d poor won't near hospitals again, ban social media etc... That's Wat we need and am sure after this... People will still defend buhari...

opportunes:
https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/okada-ban-pdp-blames-buhari-for-terminating-lagos-metro-rail-project.html

clarocuzioo:


[s]So you don't know that the disaster you defend is responsible for the traffic challenge in Lagos State.

Buhari over threw the first democratically elected president of this country thus sending the nation to sixteen years of military jaunta.

Buhari cancelled the Lagos metro line project.

Buhari cancelled the fourth mainland bridge project, so you can see the disaster you always defend is anti progressive.

Twice the nation entered recession, twice USA handed Nigeria visa ban, the interesting thing is that during those period, one person was the head of state, and that is Gen. Buhari.

So his backwardness did not start today. Buhari administration has always brought hardship to Nigerians[/s].

Dalby:
PDP had 16years with OBJ and did not remember to restart the project. What kind of humans are these, they might as well blame Lord Luguard...