A Civil Society organisation (CSO) under the aegis of Youth Bureau, has applauded President Bola Tinubu on the commissioning of the first phase of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line project at the Ikeja Train Station.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Convener Razaq Olokooba and was made available to news men in Abuja on Friday.
The event was attended by guests, including the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his Deputy, the Minister of Transportation Saidu Alkali, numerous state governors, officials from the project’s executing firm CCECC, and international diplomatic figures in attendance.
This inaugurated segment of the 37-kilometer Red Line, running 27 kilometers from Agbado in Ogun State to Oyingbo, integrates eight strategically located stations: Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, Oshodi, Mushin, Yaba, and Oyingbo.
The group commended the president and highlighted the pivotal role of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA). He established LAMATA twenty years ago during his governorship in Lagos to shape the state’s transportation landscape, acknowledging Sanwo-Olu’s key involvement in its creation.
The group also commended the state government on the formal agreement signing for the commencement of the Red Line’s second phase, a collaboration between LAMATA and CCECC, executed by LAMATA’s Managing Director, Engr. Abimbola Akinajo, and the CCECC Chairman, in the presence of Governor Sanwo-Olu and the CCECC’s President.
The construction of the first phase of the Red Line commenced on April 15, 2021, and was successfully completed 30 months after.
The Red Line will utilize shared tracks with the Nigerian Railway Corporation’s (NRC) Lagos to Ibadan route, thanks to a track-sharing agreement signed by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The group also congratulated Mr President for making the 20-year project completed and urged him to use the opportunity to improve on more infrastructural development in the country.
The group stressed the need to improve more on security which will improve the country’s economic Gross Domestic Product generation.”
The Convener maintained that the commissioning of the project would not have been possible without President Tinubu’s vision during his tenure as governor of Lagos with the establishment of the Lagos State Metropolitan Area Transport Authority.
The group also lauded the economic reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, barely one year after assuming office as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The group cited the deregulation of the petroleum downstream sector and the floating of the Foreign Exchange among other reforms as very pivotal policies and reforms whose impact will reverse the current economic downturn of the country despite their far reaching and dire consequences on the short-term livelihood of the citizenry at the moment.
The red line will share the right-of-way with the Lagos-Kano Standard Gauge Railway. The route will initially run from Agbado in Ogun State to Oyingbo in Lagos, with notable stations including Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, Oshodi, Mushin, Yaba, and Oyingbo.
“On the issue of tax reforms and revenue generation, the reforms are in the right direction. What is needed is full implementation, and ensuring appropriate sanctions where infringements occur, especially for both those bent on perpetuating the crimes of multiple taxation and the tax Invaders”.
The coalition also chided those who feel the removal of fuel subsidy should automatically bring an end to borrowing, adding that, “what is important is responsible borrowing and good debt management especially as experts are unanimous that under this administration, our debt profile is stable and its management is top notch”.
While calling on Nigerians to remain calm, hopeful and supportive of the present administration despite the excruciating pain for the realization of the full potential of these reforms, the Coalition “urged Nigerians to deliberately guard against being inflamed by actors whose intentions may be unpatriotic or of political extremism”.
It was also the informed position of the Coalition as contained in the statement for these reforms to be translated to tangible results, “governments at all levels must cut waste and re-channel resources to productive ventures.
Also, banks that were recently found to have hoarded forex the same way they have been diverting naira cash to POS Operators must be openly sanctioned”.
“That government should dispatch relevant security agencies to fix policy glitches and engage citizens with the right information to curb fake news and twisted narratives.
