Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday urged the Federal Government to support the state by funding some of the capital projects, to put in place necessary infrastructure for the betterment of all. Sanwo-Olu made the appeal during a courtesy visit by the Federal House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Mass Transit Scheme, led by its Chairman, Mr Victor Ogeme, at Alausa, Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu who was represented by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, said the state had achieved so much in the transportation sector. He said: “With the population in Lagos, government is charged with the responsibility to make life easier for the people.” The governor, however, FG, NLC meeting ends in deadlock, agree to continue talks Regina Otokpa Abuja The Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have both agreed to continue talks on post-subsidy removal palliatives for workers and find solutions to key demands tabled before government by organised labour before the deadline of its 21-day ultimatum after yesterday’s meeting ended in a deadlock. President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, who spoke to newsmen yesterday after the meeting with Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, said the meeting was fruitful and labour was ready to meet the government any time of the day to find solutions to its demands and avert its planned strike.
“We had a fruitful deliberation and we have agreed to continue to make sure we arrive at meaningful agreement within the remaining days of the ultimatum. “We had a convivial deliberation with the minister and we hope that even if it is remaining one day we will get to the root of all these problems. Whenever we are invited we will be there. Both parties will work towards the realisation of these objectives before the last minute of the ultimatum. “There is a larger committee that has set up technical committees. The ministry has performed its role to mediate and conciliate in the problem between us and the Federal Government. There is an inter-ministerial committee at the presidency level which is supposed to address these issues. “The ministry of labour can’t address wage awards, the issue of CNG, refineries and others. The ministry has mediated to ensure that there is no problem or get both parties to resolve these issues.” The minister, Simon Lalong, noted that many of the items presented by Labour were still under consideration before the final agreement. Lalong said: “Our meeting was very robust. It was a fruitful meeting. Many of the items presented by Labour are still under consideration before the final agreement or discussions.
“It was a fruitful meeting. I thank the NLC for coming to the meeting and for their very useful contributions.” Before the meeting went into a closed-door session, Ajaero said the two – day warning strike declared on 5th and 6th by the NLC was a “product of frustration caused by the economic situation in the country,” and failure of the government to meet any of the demands put before it. called for the assistance of the Federal Government in terms of funding of the state’s projects. According to him, these projects will contribute immensely to the country’s Gross Domestic Product, thereby leading to progress and development. He said: “Funding is necessary for governance, likewise, it helps in making the work easy and effective. “The state needs the assistance of the federal government to enable it run effective especially in capital projects.”
Highlighting some of the capital projects undertaken by the state government, SanwoOlu said that the government took up the blue rail line due to the large population in the state. “The state is the first to take up such as no other subsovereign anywhere in the world has run rail without the Federal Government’s interventions. “Also, it will be difficult to run a city like Lagos without mass transit. “The government cannot have a city that is 0.4 per cent of the land mass of the country but hosts 11 per cent of the population, it will be chaotic,” the governor explained. Sanwo-Olu also noted that the first phase of the 27km blue rail project had just been completed running from Marina to Okokomaiko. “The 14km of the second phase has been awarded and will be commencing soon.”
The governor stated that the blue rail transports about 150,000 people daily adding that upon its completion, it is estimated to transport between 480,000 to 500,000 people daily. According to him, the execution of the blue line took a long time because of its financial implications. Earlier in his remarks, the ad-hoc committee chairman stated that the committee was charged with the Mass Transit Scheme by looking into the failure of the schemes and proffer solutions. Ogeme said the committee deemed it fit to visit Lagos in order to see the running of the state mass transit scheme especially during the fuel subsidy removal. The chairman commended the state government for most of the infrastructures put up in the state, adding that they were worthy of emulation by the component states across the country
