Nigeria Air: You can’t deceive Nigerians, PDP tells Buhari

The Peoples Democratic Party has asked President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government to perish the thought of trying to use the ‘unveiling’ of a what it described as a nonexistent national carrier to deceive Nigerians now that election is around the corner, saying that the alleged ruse cannot yield any dividend.

The party said it was unfortunate that, having run out of ” fake promises and not having any development project to parade”, President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress had now resorted to international kite-flying aimed at hoodwinking unsuspecting Nigerians.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said in a statement in Abuja on Friday, that it was not funny that the Federal Government was merely unveiling logos and drawings of an airplane and imaginary routes.


He said, “Is it not comical that while other nations are unveiling and rolling out real planes, the Buhari administration, in a most hilarious manner, is ‘unveiling’ drawings of an airplane, name, logo and imaginary routes of a nonexistent fleet, as our national carrier, in faraway London?

“What President Buhari and his handlers fail to understand is that Nigerians can see through their fraud and lies.

“Apart from drawings of airplanes, there are no structures to indicate that a new airline, billed to commence operation in December this year, is being set up; there are no offices, no recruitment of personnel and no form of ground activity anywhere in the country.

Punch

APAPA GRIDLOCK: Why I Have Not Removed Tankers From Expressway - Ambode

...Unveils Plans to Fix Alternative Roads

...LASG Takes Over 3000-Capacity Truck Terminal in Orile-Iganmu to Tackle Apapa Gridlock

AgegePulse Magazine

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday said that the State Government would immediately take over the ABAT Truck Terminal Orile-Iganmu and commence immediate repairs on the terminal as part of efforts to permanently address the perennial traffic in Apapa axis majorly caused by breakdown of operations at the ports.

Governor Ambode, who disclosed this at the 2nd Quarter 2018 Town Hall Meeting, the 11th in the Series, held at the Apapa Amusement Park, said he was seriously concerned about the hardship residents in the axis were being subjected to as a result of the activities of containerized trucks and tankers moving in and out of the ports and tank farms, hence the decision to hold the meeting in the area to find lasting solutions.

“I cannot end this address without acknowledging that in Apapa, we have a major challenge; the menace of trucks on our roads and bridges causing endless traffic and loss of business time by Lagosians. This is why we have come here today. To see for ourselves and find a solution.

“Effective today, our government will take over the ABAT Truck Terminal Orile-Iganmu and commence immediate repairs to make the park ready for effective use. In the meantime, we will appeal to the Tanker Drivers Association to conduct themselves in an orderly manner and cooperate with our Task Force to ensure smooth flow of traffic and better access to the Ports.

“We thank the people of Apapa for enduring such harsh conditions but I assure you that this situation will be a thing of the past by the end of this year,” he said.

Governor Ambode said the ABAT Truck Terminal has a capacity to accommodate at least 3000 trucks, adding that the government was already working with security agencies to see how some of the trucks parked on the Western Avenue Bridge would be moved into the park.

“Already, we have cleared the shanties and the way we are trying to run it is such that we will be able to accommodate at least 3,000 trucks in the park. In addition to that, we will work with security agencies and see how we can move the trucks into the park because right now the park can accommodate about 300 trucks but the people are not using it.

“So, if I tell you that one of the areas that I always feel very bad about is this Apapa gridlock and that is the truth and that is why I have decided that lets bring all our resources together; let's discuss with people; let's also talk to the experts and see what is happening there,” he said.

The Governor, while responding to complaints from residents on the menace of motorcycle operators popularly called Okada riders, ordered the Police and other security agencies to enforce the State Traffic Law especially with regards to their restriction on major highways and roads so as to bring about sanity in the Apapa axis.

He added that as part of his administration’s efforts to regenerate the axis, Fadaini Road currently in a deplorable state would be fixed while Orile- Mile 2- Trade Fair- CMS Road would also be repaired to open up alternative roads for motorists plying the axis.    

Besides, the Governor while alluding to the fact that the 2019 election is fast approaching, said his administration would nonetheless complete all ongoing projects in the State and continue to ensure that residents enjoy the dividends of democracy.

He also urged residents to go all out and collect their Permanent Voters Card (PVC), saying that the State must use the election to confirm its status as the most populous State in Nigeria and thereby help to correct the anomaly in distribution of resources.

“I want to strongly appeal to all Lagosians, this coming election is a different one. We want to define once and for all where the population of Nigeria lies. So it's not just about APC or about any other party or people that are not interested, we want to use the PVC to send a message that the real population is in Lagos State.

‎”So the duty of all of us ‎is to say that before any census, there is one census, the census of votes and that PVC, so it becomes a finality that the real population is in Lagos State and that is why we must encourage each and every one of us to push ourselves if it is door to door or house to house, in our various groups and unions to ensure that they go out and get our PVC.

“Because each time we make our own State to look good, other people coming in and also put pressure on it for us and that's why we are having too much pressure on our health facilities, our schools and other facilities that we have arranged, but because we have refused to participate in our civic obligations, the long result is the shortchanging of the resources that is distributed across Nigeria. I want to appeal to all Lagosians and all party leaders that this mobilization for the PVC has a longer reach than what you think,” Governor Ambode said

Assuring that his administration would spare no effort that Lagos remains safe, clean and prosperous, the Governor said that the prosperity of Lagos would automatically translate to greater prosperity for Nigeria.

“Without mincing words, the prosperity of Lagos State is on a positive trajectory. We believe strongly in it, it is our vision and our mission and nobody is going to stop it that if we secure the prosperity of Lagos, we have secured the prosperity of Nigeria. Everything that we need to do to ensure that every Lagosian has something to do is what this government is committed to do. We would use everything within our reach to ensure that Lagos remains safe, clean and prosperous. Continue to fulfill your obligations and we would do more because that's how Lagos stands to grow,” Governor Ambode said.

Gov. Ambode Unveils Three Executive Boats, Four Jet Skis -AgegePulse

... Targets 2million passengers on water daily

...We‘ll Explore Tourism, Economic Potential Of Waterways, Says Ambode

Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Sunday inaugurated three newly acquired executive boats by the State Government, with a pledge to fully explore the tourism and economic potentials of the waterways in the State for the overall benefit of the people.

Speaking at the unveiling of the boats held at Caverton Jetty in Civic Centre area of Victoria Island, the Governor said the State Government was committed to the implementation of the integrated transport management system designed to scale up water, rail and land transportation, saying that the grand plan is to divert at least two million passengers on the waterways daily thereby reducing traffic on the road.

He said the boats and four Jet Skis recently acquired by the State Government to ensure safety and fight crime on the waterways were prelude to major plans to fully activate the potentials of water transportation, while in coming months, the State Government would take delivery of additional seven commercial ferries, among other plans for the sector.

According to him, “This is a significant day for Lagos State as we commission three boats belonging to the Lagos State Government. We discovered that sometimes, we do not have the ability for our officials to go on the waterways to address issues relating to people and citizens that live alongside the waterways.

“As you aware, twenty-five per cent of Lagos is water and it is important that we put in the right initiatives that can actually make activities on our waterways to thrive and the also people living along the waterways to bring them into proper perspective.

“Sometimes when dignitaries come from other States or countries, they are not able to see the true side of Lagos from waterways perspective and that is one of the reasons the State Government decided that we would procure the boats that would help us to promote tourism in the State so that people can see the great potentials of Lagos State,” he said.

Governor Ambode said as much was ongoing on road rehabilitation and construction, as well as the rail system, the water sector was also experiencing specific initiatives such as construction of terminals, channelization, construction of walkways, among others to encourage more people to key into the sector.

He said: “As people are well aware, we are committed to the integrated transport management system that we have promised Lagosians. As much as we are doing on the roads, we have decided that we would face the waterways. We have just ordered the procurement of seven ferries; we have also invited people from the private sector to take over terminals and also be able to procure their own boats and ferries.

“We are so particular about safety; we are so particular about the future of everyone and that is why we decided also that we would do a lot on channelization and dredging on waterways to make it motorable. People will begin to see all these at the end of the first quarter of 2018 and we believe strongly also that both the government boats and the ones from the private sector will start to berth the waterways of Lagos and we will use that to complement what it is that we have on our roads and also use it to complement the future of what we are trying to plan for the rail system.”

He added that over six million people walk every day on Lagos roads and that accounted for why walkways were being constructed across the State, while there are plans to create connectivity between water terminals and the roads, especially in Badore, Ajah, Mile 2, Badagry, Ikorodu and other places where there are terminals.

While stating that the maintenance and sustenance of the boats had been outsourced to specialists to ensure proper usage, Governor Ambode also invited more private sector stakeholders interested to invest in the waterways to partner with the State Government, saying his administration is liberal, transparent and willing to collaborate with interested investors.

In his opening remarks, Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Engr Adebowale Akinsanya said about thirty commercial routes on the State waterways have been identified for dredging and channelization, while ten jetties spread across the State were being constructed, among other ongoing plans for the sector.

He also said that the Ministry was working in concert with the Ministry of Justice to enforce relevant laws guiding the waterways to ensure compliance with safety standards and checkmate any illegal activity by operators.

Also speaking on safety plans for the waterways, General Manager of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr. Tiamiyu Adeshina said the Jet Skis would be deployed across the State to aid rescue operation in case of emergency, and also help to fight crime.

“Each of the Jet Skis has the capacity to carry two divers and the idea behind this is that when an incident occurred on the water, there is a Jet Ski that will move divers fast to the incident scene while the rescue boats are coming behind and when they get there, divers are dropping into the waters and as soon as they rescue people, we put them into the rescue boat and take them to hospital,” Adeshina said, just as he revealed  that training to that effect was already ongoing.

Also, the Managing Director of Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mr. Damilola Emmanuel, said the commissioning was the beginning of sustainable development for the waterways, adding that apart from efforts by the agency to enforce safety standards, the State Government has concluded plans to license 10 new operators who would provide better ferries.

The Governor also inspected ongoing projects on the waterways especially at Orange Island and Lekki Foreshore areas of the State.