Metro
Lagos Unveils 500 Mini Buses for Intra-City Transportation, to Begin Operation in Oshodi, Mushin Others
To ease movement within the inner and rural areas of the state, Lagos State Governor, Bababjide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday, launched the first phase of the 5000 commercial buses meant for the First and Last Mile (FLM) Scheme.
The governor was optimistic that with the buses, Lagos residents would have better commuting experiences across the state. According to him, the buses will also provide the needed alternative means of journeying across the state.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that passengers and the drivers expected on board the buses are fully insured, stating that the goal is to ensure residents have a comfortable means of commuting.
The governor unveiled the 500 buses already on ground as more buses are being assembled for the FLM project, promising that more of the buses would be deployed as soon as they are coupled. He said the 500 buses would be deployed to five of the eight routes already marked out for the FLM Scheme.
Sanwo-Olu said the FLM has been conceived, as the name implies, to take care of commuting between the main transit corridors and the hearts of the communities, where the bulk of the people reside and where the high capacity buses would normally not pass through.
He added the launch of the First and Last Mile (FLM) Bus Scheme is an important milestone in our quest to achieving the intermodal transport system which gives our teeming population the choices they deserve, reducing congestion and journey times, and improving the quality of life.
“The restriction of motorcycles and tricycles in the six local councils and nine local council development areas created a mobility gap which was required to be filled urgently. Thus, the FLM scheme became imperative within the areas where commercial motorcycles and tricycles had been restricted,” Sanwo-Olu said.
“Consequently, the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation in conjunction with the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority activated the First and Last Mike Bus Scheme as detailed in the STMP and soon delineated the state into eight zones for ease of it’s implementation and operations. The zones are: Zone 1: Ikeja and Ketu ; Zone 2: Oshodi, Mushin and Surulere; Zone 3: Berger, Yaba and Oyingbo; Zone 4: Lagos Island, Ajah and Ibeju-Lekki; Zone 5: Iyana-ipaja and Agege; Zone 6: Orile, Mile 2, Iyana-iba and Ajeromi; Zone 7: Ikorodu and Zone 8: Epe and Badagry.”
Sanwo-Olu said the FLM routes are essentially community based routes that are currently majorly served by the rickshaws or tricycles known as Keke napep or Keke marwa and commercial motorcycles. “The implementation of the FLM scheme is designed to enhance passengers’ safety, connectivity and accessibility to all the bus routes as well as proposed rail corridors and waterways in Lagos.
“The FLM scheme entails LASG partnering with private investors. They will provide buses with seating capacity ranging from 7 to 13 seaters. Government plans to make available 2000 units of 7-13 seater micro buses in the first phase of the scheme.”
The governor said his administration will support the private operators in the bus acquisition under a Bus Finance Scheme, with the private operator required to make 20 per cent down payment to be eligible to come under the Bus Finance Scheme.
“Such operator shall be expected to open an account with the designated bank warehousing the joint funds of the private sector and the state who will advance the 80 per cent credit facility. The repayment period for the Bus Finance Scheme shall be for a period of 36months. In other to ensure that the operator does not default in the repayment of the loan, each operator shall put down a 30-day repayment deposit as financial guarantee.”
The governor said a central ticketing system would be deployed for use across all public transport modes including the FLM operations.
“To ensure seamless mobility within the transport system, the electronic payment system shall be deployed for the FLM operations. This shall allow a commuter with the existing Lagos State Cowry Travel Card on the BRT buses, standard route buses to also use it on the FLM buses.
“A central switching company has been engaged to carry out the reconciliation and settlement daily thereby ensuring all operators receive their respective revenue daily. The operators have been trained on the functionality of the e-ticketing device.
“The monitoring of the FLM operations will be carried out through physical and electronic monitoring. The physical monitoring will be carried out through the deployment of monitoring officers to the categorized zones of the FLM corridors. A monitoring mobile application has been designed for real time data collection as well as vehicle tracking devices. In addition, buses shall be color-coded according to zones for ease of identification and motoring.”
Giving the welcome address, the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Frederic Oladeinde said in line with the Transport Sector Reform law 2018, the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Transportation and LAMATA put in place various measures aimed at readjusting her transportation strategies to accommodate the first/last mile transportation system which is all inclusive, safe, convenient, affordable, accessible and in line with global practices.
“The First and Last Mile (FLM) bus scheme is therefore a part of our overall transport system that is meant to give Lagosians living in the hinterland relief in accessing the main transport corridors through a safe means,” Sanwo-Olu said.
“The FLM bus scheme will sure make the whole passenger transport chain as seamless, fast and comfortable as possible.”
Similarly, after unveiling 500 FLM buses for the inner communities, the Sanwo-Olu also unveiled 100 high and medium capacity buses. The high capacity buses are 70-seater buses while the medium capacity buses are 30-seater buses.
The governor maintained that the high and medium capacity buses is also meant to make commuting in Lagos better.
Speaking on the new high and medium capacity buses, the Managing Director of Lagos Bus Service Limited, Mr Idowu Oguntona said the increase in LBSL’s fleet size from 50 buses in May 2019 to 150 buses by December 2019 and subsequent injections of buses has increased the fleet size to 252 buses.
“With the addition of the 100 buses being commissioned today, the total fleet size of the company will increase to 352 buses.
Unfortunately, the civil unrest incident of October 2020, resulted in the loss of several buses, causing untold hardship to thousands of Lagosians that rely on the service as their primary means of mobility. Not to mention the disruption caused to the company’s operations.
“This situation obviously was of great concern to our ever-concerned Governor, who has constantly embarked on initiatives to ameliorate the plight of commuters in Lagos. Today’s event is the outcome of one of the several initiatives of the Governor Sanwo-Olu’s administration to bring succor to the plight of Lagosians,” Oguntona said.
The distinguished Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Navy, His Excellency, Otunba Engr. Gbenga Daniel, has extended warm congratulations to Aare Adetola EmmanuelKing, Chairman/CEO of Adron Group, on the occasion of his 50th birthday.
In a heartfelt message, Senator Daniel praised Aare Adetola EmmanuelKing for his outstanding dedication and immense contributions to the Nigerian housing sector. He described the celebrant as a shining example in the business community, whose passion and commitment have left an indelible mark on the real estate industry across Nigeria.
“You are indeed a source of inspiration to your generation and a shining example within the business environment. There is no doubt that you had written your name in an indelible ink across Nigeria and most especially among the real estate developers,” he wrote.
Senator Daniel also acknowledged Aare Adetola EmmanuelKing’s conferment as the ‘Otun-Asiwaju of Remo Christians’ by the Ogun State branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), as a reflection of his God-fearing nature, philanthropic spirit, and commitment to humanity.
The senator offered prayers for good health, greater accomplishments, and many more remarkable years ahead for the business mogul.
He concluded by affirming his highest regards and admiration for the celebrant.
The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps ( FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, has directed Commanding Officers to ensure full deployment of staff for maximum visibility, prompt removal of obstructions and ease of movement on all highways across the country. This is in line with the operational guidelines of this year’s Easter special patrol scheduled to commence from 16th to 23 April, 2024.
According to the Operation Order, obtained by the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), the objectives of the special operations are reduction in road traffic crashes, road traffic fatalities and road traffic Injuries; prompt response to road traffic crash victims; unhindered in purposeful public education and speedy removal of obstructions from the highways, amongst others.
Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed assured members of the public that in achieving the objectives of the special operations, the Corps will combine the engagement of the motoring public through purposeful and impactful public education programmes, strengthening of surveillance activities to regulate unprofessional excesses, sustained effective patrol operations as well as adequate monitoring on the highways.
To this end, the Corps would carryout aggressive enforcement including conducting over 200 Mobile Courts operations, with the aim of checking the following offences:
Speeding and Dangerous Driving/Overtaking,
b. Lane indiscipline/Route violation,
c. Road Obstructions,
d. Use of Phone while Driving,
e. Overloading,
f. Seatbelt/Child restraint Use Violations,
g. Passenger’s Manifest Violation,
h. Operation of mechanical deficient and rickety vehicles,
i. Latching and Twist-Locks Violation,
To achieve the aforementioned, over 743 patrol vehicles, 184 administrative vehicles, 92 ambulances, 23 tow trucks and 144 motorbikes are being deployed as part of the patrol logistics.
Furthermore, reflective jackets, traffic cones, tyre pressure gauges, a number of extricating machines and digital breathalyzers are part of the tools set aside for the special operations.
Added to the above is, a total of 23 Help Areas mobilised to ensure prompt removal of obstructions, and rescue operations during the period. This, he said, is in addition to the 15 traffic control camps which would be dedicated solely to identifying traffic gridlock areas to be manned by our personnel on 24/7 basis.
For effective monitoring and prompt response, the Corps has put in place a Situation Room at the National Headquarters to monitor the activities across the country, collate and process information for dissemination to relevant commands and stakeholders as the case may be.
This is in addition to 28 Road Traffic Crash Clinics and 53 Zebra points located along the major routes. This would be covered by 92 ambulances to be fully utilized for prompt response to crashes and rescue of injured victims to hospitals for more professional attention.
He also directed the Commanding Officers to liaise with other strategic stakeholders within their operational areas to secure the needed moral and logistics as well as security support. The Corps Marshal identified some of the stakeholders as Military formations (enroute or resident); the Nigeria Police (enroute or resident); DSS (enroute or resident); the Nigeria Immigration Service; the NSCDC (enroute or resident).
Others are Federal Ministry of Works and Housing; National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA); State Traffic Management Agencies; State owned NGO’s ambulance Services providers; National Network on Emergency Rescue Services (NNES);
Federal Road Maintenance Agencies and
Federal Fire Service.
On the overall preparedness of the Corps for the special operations, he expressed optimism that Nigerians would as usual, cooperate with members of the Corps and other security agencies as well as volunteers who would come out to assist the Corps in traffic management.
Expectedly, with the massive deployment of personnel and logistics and the envisaged public support, the Corps Marshal is confident that the celebration would be a huge success.
While reassuring the motoring public of FRSC’s renewed vigour towards entrenching sanity on the roads, the Corps Marshal also wishes all Nigerians safe and peaceful Easter celebrations.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ meeting in Ojokoro LCDA, Lagos State, ended in chaos on Monday over alleged imposition of a chairmanship candidate.
The meeting began peacefully at 7, Ijaoye Street, at 4:00 pm before aggrieved members stormed the venue in protest.
Protesters chanted “(unprintable word”; “We can’t take it”, and accused Speaker of State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, of imposing a candidate from Agege on Ojokoro residents.
Other chants included “Who knows Sanusi?”, “Obasa can’t control us from Agege”, and “We won’t allow a stranger rule us here”.
Speaking after the disruption, one of the protesters, Mr. Olusegun Akinoso-Olawaye said the meeting was a ploy to ratify an imposed candidate with no ties to the council.
He stressed that a chairmanship aspirant must reside in Ojokoro, and have worked for the party and actively participated in council politics.
He warned that imposing an outsider with no electoral history in Ojokoro would have negative consequences.
“We are here to reject imposition. All aspirants deserve a fair contest to prove their political relevance,” Akinoso-Olawaye stated.
He noted there are at least 18 aspirants for the chairmanship, all of whom had supporters present at the protest.
Another protest leader, Mrs. Bola Ojetayo, lamented that party leaders often prioritise personal interests over the will of the people.
She said the protest aimed to prevent installation of an unfamiliar figure as the next council chairman.
“We must not sell our seat to outsiders. A stranger cannot come and lead us in our own home.
“Leaders can’t sit elsewhere and decide for us. Someone in Agege shouldn’t determine Ojokoro’s leadership,” Ojetayo said.
In response, Mr. James Owolabi, a former House of Representatives member, and APC stalwart in Ojokoro, urged protesters to remain peaceful and avoid violence.
Owolabi, who represented Ifako-Ijaiye Federal Constituency, acknowledged the concerns and affirmed their right to protest within the party.
“You have a voice in the party. Express yourselves peacefully without violence,” Owolabi advised.
Other APC leaders present included Mr Jelili Oseni, council chairman, and Ipoola Omisore, a former Lagos Assembly member.
Also in attendance were Alh. Amosu Aminu, Chief Oriyomi Olaogun, and Mr Akindele Aremu, among others.
The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) had scheduled the local government elections for July 12, 2025.
