Buhari Rides In Lagos Train After Inaugurating Blue Rail Line, John Randle

Buhari inaugurated the blue rail line and cultural centre as he concluded his two-day visit to Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu said the rail project could have been completed many years ago but the then federal government led by an opposition party slowed the progress.
The Lagos governor signed the contract for the commencement of the second phase of the rail project.

Eko Hot Blog reports that Lagos now officially has a state-operated rail system, with the commissioning of Blue Line Mass Transit by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday.

EDITOR’S PICKS

Too Much Ado Over Tinubu’s Health

N77 Trillion Debt: Buhari’s Government And The 2023 ‘Budget Of Deficit’

SPARE: An Attack On The British Monarchy

The inaugural ride on the train was performed by the president in company of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, and other invited dignitaries.

The electric-powered train made a round trip between the Marina station and National Theatre, enthralling crowds of citizens along the corridor.

President Muhammadu Buhari going into the train

The completed tracks, spanning 13 kilometres in the first phase, extend from Mile 2 to Marina, covering five stations. Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority (LAMATA) constructed the rail infrastructure, which will transport 250,000 passengers daily.

At the event, Buhari supervised the signing of contract by Sanwo-Olu for the commencement of the project’s second phase, which will cover 14-kilometre stretch from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko.

Earlier, the president inaugurated the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History—a museum built by the Lagos State Government “to promote cultural renaissance.” The museum is sited in Onikan.

Sanwo-Olu said the delivery of the Blue Line Rail was the culmination of the “timeless vision” of the state government initiated by his predecessor and All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, whom the governor described as “the architect of modern Lagos.”

Tinubu, the governor said, developed a comprehensive roadmap for the state’s economic prosperity through continuous implementation of the state’s Strategic Transportation Master Plan (STMP), which envisioned six metro lines.

Sanwo-Olu said the construction of the Blue Line could have been completed years before the APC took power at the centre in 2015, but said the project was slowed down by hostile policies of the then Federal Government being led by an opposition party.

“Since 1999, Lagos has not enjoyed the kind of support it is receiving from the President Buhari administration since 2015. The socio-economic impacts of various projects we have commissioned during the President’s two-day visit bear testimony to the support and collaboration we have enjoyed from the APC-led Federal Government. Mr. President, we are proud in Lagos to be associated with your national vision for infrastructural transformation,” he said.

“The Blue Line we are commissioning today is a product of timeless vision by Lagos State, which dates back to the administration of former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu 20 years ago. One of his greatest legacies was the development of roadmap for the future of Lagos, which cleared the pathway for a modern, prosperous and competitive mega city.

“With the rail line, a journey of two hours will now take 15 minutes. This will improve quality of life for our citizens, while Lagos will grow to be one of the most resilient mega cities.”

Sanwo-Olu said the Blue Line would be operational after the completion of 750 Volt-ampere dedicated power supply source. The governor said the Marina station commissioned by the president was designed as Africa’s metro hub with a capacity to process 28,000 passengers per hour.

The governor said the development of the state’s rail infrastructure project was to increase mobility for commuters and raise productivity to energise the State economy.

He said the ongoing construction on the Red Line, which extends 37-kilometre from Agbado to Ebute Metta, would be completed before the end of May.

Sanwo-Olu acknowledged the courage of his predecessor, former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, who started the Blue Line project despite opposition from the then central government.

Hamzat described the Blue Line as “the most audacious project” to be funded by a sub national in the history of the country, noting that the Sanwo-Olu administration took the steps to complete the project given its importance to solving transportation challenges in the state.

The John Randle Centre, originally built in 1928, used to serve as a hub for cultural tourism, recreation and entertainment. Its reconstruction started in 2018.

Sanwo-Olu said the centre fitted into the state’s overall objectives in Arts, Culture and Tourism as stipulated in the recently launched 20-year Arts and Tourism master plan towards making Lagos a tourism destination.