Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has said that the proposed red and blue rail lines which are being undertaken in partnership with Lagos State Government, will come alive next year as the rail project will be covered in the 2024-2026 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) of the State.
This apparently is an indication that efforts are being made by Ogun state to key into the dual rail projects being undertaken by the Lagos government as Ogun is the neighbouring state to Lagos.
The red rail line which will be connecting that of Lagos at Agbado rail terminus en route Marina, and the proposed blue rail line, planned to run through Agbara en route Okokomaiko-Iganmu, National Theatre in Lagos, is part of the capital projects proposed to be executed by Ogun State Government, starting from 2024.
Recall that Ogun and Lagos State Governments had last year signed an MoU – Memorandum of Understanding centred on connectivity of red and blue rail lines with a view to leveraging on the rail lines by investing in extensions in Ogun State as part of Lagos-Ogun Joint Development Commission initiatives.
As for now,the Lagos Red line last terminus is at Agbado while efforts are being made to extend it to Ijoko and beyond by the state government.
Speaking at the Citizens’ Engagement on the 2024 Budget and the 2024-2026 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) held in Ijebu-Ode on Tuesday, Governor Abiodun declared that the investment in proposed red and blue rail lines is part of multimodal transport system being undertaken by the State Government to ease movement of people, goods and services within and outside the State.
The governor, who was represented by Noimot Salako-Oyedele, the deputy governor, noted that the State’s multimodal transport system which consists of air, rail and road transport systems are being developed simultaneously to improve on the economy and enable robust logistics in and outside the State.
Governor Abiodun, while noting that the State is also developing dry port at Wasinmi, Kajola in Ifo, in the Ogun Central Senatorial District, said, “Nonetheless, in the area of transportation, we will also be collaborating with Lagos State in leveraging the blue and red rail lines by investing in their extensions in Ogun State for efficient transportation of the people, goods, and services.
Sanwoolu
“We will commence the construction of a dry port at Kajola and a logistics hub at Wasinmi in collaboration with the private sector. We launched our e-Mobility and Gas Mobility Projects in June 2023, through which our mass transport systems will be powered by electricity and gas, reducing gas emissions in our State and earning us carbon credit as we join other advanced countries in going green.
“One major aspect of our infrastructural development is the construction of Agro Cargo Airport, which is located in this divisions (Ijebu-Remo); the airport forms the nucleus of our Aerotropolis, a community of its own. It also houses a Special Agro-Processing Zone (SAPZ).”
Credit: Business Day
