By Moshood Adebayo
Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has disclosed that the first batch of 5,000 new buses, under his administration’s Bus Reform Initiative (BRI), will arrive the state in the next six months.
Ambode spoke yesterday, when he received students of the prestigious Harvard Kennedy School of Government, United States of America, during a courtesy call to the Government House, Alausa, Ikeja.
According to him, the new buses would be the first step by his administration to change the existing transportation system predominantly driven by the yellow buses, popularly known as ‘Danfo’.
The BRI, he said, was meant to improve the way and manner residents, which he puts at 23 million, would commute daily without stress.
The governor, who fielded questions from the visiting students, alluded to the fact that an integrated transportation system was key to growing the economy of the state.
“In the last one year, we have decided we must integrate rail, waterway and air transportation systems in such a way that the system of connectivity is improved upon and I would like to have a direct partnership on how that can be actualised.
“Right now, we are cleaning out all the yellow buses you see in the state. As we proceed in the next six months and a span of three years, we are introducing 5,000 new buses of European standard to clean up the city because if you want to grow the economy of Lagos, transportation is key and a major infrastructure for tourism.
“There are eight million people walking on the streets of Lagos every minute, did we create more points for them. The answer is no. We have one-fifth of the state on water, are we doing effective water transportation, the answer is no. The rail system is still under construction in such a way that it can move mass number of people from one point to another. That is why we have a whole lot of congestion on the road,” the governor said.
He also disclosed his administration had made series of interventions to improve road transportation network through the creation of more bus terminals, lay bys, bus stops to accommodate the eventual take off of the Bus Reform Initiative.
Earlier, immediate past Vice President, International Affairs of Harvard Kennedy School, Mrs. Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, said the team was proud of the exploits of Ambode in the last two years.
“I am overwhelmed with joy that I can bring some of the brightest and the best brains in the world to come and see the beauty, the greatest, the resilience, the talent and accomplishment of Nigeria,” she said.