Lagos mulls investment in airline operations
- as Sanwo-Olu presents scorecard to Lagos West constituents
Lagos State has mulled the idea of establishing an airline for passenger operations just as the State prepares for the groundbreaking to commence the construction of its own airport in Lekki.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu disclosed the plan, on Thursday, at the Lagos West Senatorial District People’s Town Hall Meeting, where he rendered stewardship and presented a catalogue of achievements recorded by his administration in the West of Lagos.
A former Permanent Secretary and retired Auditor General for Local Government in Lagos, Pa Muhammed Hassan, believed the State was ripe to own an airline; he threw the poser to the Governor.
Responding, Sanwo-Olu noted that the plan had been in the pipeline for months, with the State already finalising the financing model for the project. What is being considered, the Governor said, is the Federal Government’s approval and operational contingency for the airline.
This drew commendations from the citizens, who attended the Town Hall meeting held at Balmoral Convention Centre on Sheraton Link Road, Ikeja
At the no-holds-barred meeting, Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, mounted the stage to take feedback from the citizens, who asked difficult questions, gave an applause and shared suggestions going forward.
The Governor said the input from the public was necessary to guide his Government’s decision on planned programmes and interventions before their implementation.
Listing projects and interventions taken in Lagos West, Sanwo-Olu pointed out that his administration had completed and opened 42 new roads projects and two flyovers in the District, with the combined length of the infrastructure spanning over 72 kilometres.
He said the last four and half years had seen Lagos taking a leap forward in its socio-economic and development trajectory, but the Governor said he was resolute in doubling his efforts to keep the State on the sustainable growth path as his second term progresses.
He said: “Over the last five months, Mr. Deputy Governor and I have been working to put a concise plan together for the establishment of an airline, but we did not make the plan open because of the need to get adequate knowledge about the operational procedures of airlines. The business plan is viable and there is no issue about financing. The conversation has gone to an advanced stage but we need to get the proper information on operations before we go ahead to implement the plan.
“In Lagos West Senatorial District, infrastructure development has been our priority since we came in. Over the last four years, we have completed over 70 kilometres of new roads and over two kilometres of bridges. These include Pen-Cinema Bridge, Ikeja Flyover, and over 42 roads we have completed in Alimosho, Ifako, Agege, Ikeja, Mushin, Amuwo Odofin and Badagry. We also have over 30 ongoing road projects which are at various stages of completion within this district.”
Sanwo-Olu assured Lagosians that his administration would be raising the pace of its development strides, as he pledged to double the efforts to deliver twice the number of projects and programmes achieved in his first term.
The Governor said the senatorial district was also the major beneficiary of the intracity railway development projects of his administration, with Lagos West hosting major passenger hubs of Blue Line and Red Line trains.
He said the new General Hospital being constructed by his administration in Ojo axis was at an advanced stage of development, saying its completion would further improve health care access in the district.
To further enhance security and safety in Lagos, Sanwo-Olu disclosed that his administration would be releasing additiona…
