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Lagos procures additional rolling stock for Blue, Red lines from China

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…Lagos Red Line operations likely to kick off February

In line with its THEMES agenda to bolster the infrastructure of Lagos State, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has procured additional rolling stocks for the Blue Line and Red Line rail operations, to bring more relief to millions of Lagos residents.

The Governor who is currently in China to further discussions on the Blue and Red rail lines explained the new purchase will improve the travel experience of residents in the State.

He said the additional rolling stocks are expected to arrive in Lagos before the end of the year.

The Lagos State team through its partners was able to secure an agreement for the additional rolling stocks for the Blue Line and Red Line rail lines to be ready within a year and delivered before the end of the year as against the normal two-year period that it takes for the construction company to build the coaches.

Speaking during a high-level meeting of Lagos State Government officials with the President and management of the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) at its headquarters in Beijing, China, on Thursday, Governor Sanwo-Olu reiterated his administration’s commitment to the completion of the second phase of the Blue Line rail project and flag off of the commercial operations of the Red Line rail project.

“We have made requests for additional rolling stocks for Red Line and Blue Line. That conversation is ongoing. We have started making payments and hope that because of our commitment, we will get those rolling stocks before the end of the year. It would improve the journey experience of our people. It would improve citizens’ appreciation of what the government is doing to reduce transportation pressure in a big city like Lagos.

“With the new rolling stocks, we will have a more predictable journey time; the commuters and passengers would be more committed and we will see an improvement in the quality of lives and reduction of traffic gridlocks in the city,” the Governor said.    

Governor Sanwo-Olu, who was accompanied to the meeting by the Commissioner of Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi; the Managing Director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Mrs. Abimbola Akinajo, Chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Transportation, Honourable Temitope Adewale and his Environment parastatals counterpart, Hon. Rasheed Shabi and other top government officials, informed the CCECC team, that his government had promised over 22 million Lagosians that it would solve the traffic and transportation challenges they currently faced hence the need for the red line to take off without any further delay.

The Governor, who expressed satisfaction with the pace of progress of the Red Line project, hinted that the State Government is ready to inaugurate the Red Line rail for commercial operations as soon as the Presidency communicates the availability of President Bola Tinubu, who had agreed in principle to officially commission the project.

He said, “We are happy that during our tenure, we were able to complete phase one of the Blue Line and not just completing it, we started its operation and now we are seeing an increase in the passenger traffic every month. We have also increased the number of trips.

“People expect a lot more from us and that is why we are committed to phase two of the project. The work has started and we are trying to make money available for you (CCECC) to continue to push. I have said to people that within our second term, we should complete phase two of the Blue Line.  

“For the Red Line, which is even more exciting for us because we started the construction during our administration; we are happy that phase one of it is practically completed and I am happy to invite you when Mr. President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, would be commissioning the Red Line. We are still hoping to commission it within this February. 

“We believe the Red Line will carry more passengers than the Blue Line. The Red Line is longer and it has a lot of other infrastructure. All the bridge components that we are committed to have been completed and commissioned, with the exception of the one in Mushin.

“I want you to encourage the Federal Government to also complete their bridge components of the Red Line so that we can have a rail system that would not have any incident of traffic or interaction with vehicles or passengers and we can wall off and ensure it is a very safe rail corridor. There are a lot of interactions on the Red Line, so we need to ensure that we operate a rail corridor that is very safe for passengers, citizens and vehicular movement.

“We are also advancing conversation on the right of way at the corridor for phase two of the Red Line, which will take it based on what we are seeing to the connection of the Blue Line. That makes it a lot more functional because what it means is that passengers can hop in and hop out between the Red Line and Blue Line when phase two is completed.”    

Sanwo-Olu during his meeting with the President and management of the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) also had trade and investment discussions with the top officials of the company.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, also inspected one of the project sites of the China Railway Construction Group (CRCG) in Beijing, China. He was conducted around the major project facility of the Chinese construction company.

The fact-finding mission is connected to Governor Sanwo-Olu’s plan for the construction of some major infrastructural projects in Lagos State and his determination to increase the infrastructure stock of Lagos, especially in transportation.

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Mushin LG Chairman flags off construction of Yusuf Street road, promises solar lighting

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The Mushin Local Government Chairman, Hon. Emmanuel Bamigboye on Wednesday flagged off the construction of Yusuf Street road in Papa Ajao.

The project is expected to bring relief to residents and traders in the area and is set to be completed within six months.

According to Bamigboye, the project is a fulfillment of his campaign promise to the people of Mushin, and he expressed gratitude to God for the opportunity to execute the project.

He urged residents to cooperate with the contractor and the local government to ensure the successful completion of the project.

The councillor representing the ward, Ayomide Abioye, expressed his joy and appreciation for the project, stating that it is the longest street in Papa Ajao and will bring immense benefit to the community.

Also, the Baba Oloja of Ladipo International Market, Eze Monday, also commended the Executive Chairman for the project, stating that it will make a significant impact on the development of the area.

The project includes the construction of the road and the installation of solar lighting, which is expected to enhance security and facilitate economic activities in the area.

Residents and traders in the area have been warned not to disturb the contractor or disrupt the project in any way.

Meanwhile, the traders applauded Hon. Bamigboye for demonstrating its commitment to infrastructural development and the welfare of its citizens.

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Giving back to community — Prof Oyedokun speaks on motives

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Lead Facilitator Professor of Accounting & Financial Development Founder OGE, Prof. Godwin Emmanuel Oyedokun, has disclosed that giving back to society community is his motive for pursuing his career.

He made the disclosure in an article titled “My motive for running a free professional diploma course in Forensic Accounting and Fraud Investigation is of several folds.”

He said, “Running a free professional diploma course in forensic accounting and fraud investigation is also motivated by my desire to give back to the community.

“By sharing my expertise and knowledge without any financial barriers, I am helping individuals from diverse backgrounds and financial situations to acquire valuable skills and advance their careers.”

The academic reiterated that the motive for running a free professional diploma course in forensic accounting and fraud investigation is centred around education, skill development, community service, and professional growth.

It is a way to contribute to the accounting profession, address a skill gap, and empower individuals in their pursuit of knowledge and career advancement.

According to him, “Promoting Education and Professional Development to contribute to the growth and development of the accounting profession by providing individuals with an opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills in the specialised field of forensic accounting and fraud investigation.

“By offering this free course, i am enabling aspiring professionals to access valuable education that might otherwise be costly or inaccessible.”

The Don addressing the need for expertise in Forensic Accounting said, “In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for professionals skilled in forensic accounting and fraud investigation due to the rise in financial crimes and fraudulent activities. By offering this free course, I am helping to address this skill gap and aiding in the fight against financial fraud.”

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Airport tolls: Nigeria lost billions under old rules — Keyamo

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The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has revealed that the Federal Government lost 82 percent which is equivalent to N10 billion in revenue that ought to accrue from airport tollgates under old rules.

Keyamo revealed this to State House correspondents during the week at the end of a two-day meeting of the Federal Executive Council.

The minister lamented that the ministry accumulated 82 percent in the negative from the complimentary e-tags printed by the ministry, noting that 82 percent of the e-tags are given free of charge to VIPs.

He stated, “Let me give you the shocking statistics. The negative figure that we get at the end of the day from the complimentary e-tags is 82 percent, in the negative.

“In other words, where we are supposed to have a 100 per cent contract on the e-costs from these e-tags that we print, it is only 18 per cent that we now end up selling. That is how bad it is. 18 per cent and 82 per cent of these e-tags are given out free of charge to VIPs. So, imagine the loss in my sector, and I ask myself,Which other sector will I go to that they give me anything free?’

“Is it because I’m a VIP that you say that in FCT, I should not pay land charges that you waive it for me? I pay for that sector. I pay for power. Yes, I pay for everything. So, why would anybody now come to my own sector and want to get free passage? Not possible. That is how bad it is.”

He added that free e-tags to the VIPs had in the past led to the loss of billions of naira

“So this has led in the past to loss of billions of naira, not millions, annually. Yet, our airport infrastructure, you know, is decaying. I am helpless. I’m looking for concessionaires. I’m looking for help with decaying infrastructure.

“They will be the first to cry out, these same VIPs – ‘why are the toilets like this? Why are your toilets smelling? Why can’t you do this?’ They are the same people, but they don’t pay for the services. So, if we want improved infrastructure at the airport, we must pay for services,” he said.

The minister lamented that due to the policy of exemption, the ministry makes only about N100 million instead of making about N260 million from a particular airport gate every month.

“I’ll give you another example. In one of the access gates, based on the count of the barrier going up and down, we are supposed to be making N250m or 260 million from that gate every month. That gate, because of exemptions, the return to us is less than N100 million every month,” he added.

To end the loss, the FEC decided that the president, vice president, and other top government functionaries would start paying access fees or the e-tag at all 24 federal airports across the country.

Prior to this development, the president, vice president, and some government officials were exempted from paying access fees at the airports’ gates.

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