By Olu Adeyinka
The Lagos State Government will present its transport policy document to critical stakeholders at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja, on Friday, the Commissioner for Transportation Mr Ladi Lawanson has said.
The move is already causing excitement across the industry as stakeholders commended the state for beating other states and the federal government in putting together a policy to regulate the transportation industry and rescue it from charlatans.
In a statement by the Ministry’s Director of Press Affairs Mr Tunji Bakare, the policy document, which was the first to be put together by any government in the country, is being presented to critical stakeholders especially transport industry operators, for the purpose of collating their views towards the birthing of a robust transportation policy for the state.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had in September last year set up a five-man technical committee to put together a policy document to drive the sector, especially in the state. The committee had submitted an interim report, which Lawanson said would be presented to the public Friday to get more imput and arrive at a policy document which for th first time would drive the transportation sector an industry in the state.
“Their draft report, is to undergo stakeholders/citizens comments and recommendations, which would be included to the document with the final document forwarded to the state’s House of Assembly for appropriate passage into law,” the Commissioner stated.
According to Lawanson, the forum is open to all corporate organisations, transport unions, professional bodies, the academia and other relevant and interested bodies.
He said “the policy presentation which is already causing ripples in the transportation industry is the first by any government in Nigeria,” adding that “Lagos again is happy being the first state to put together a policy that would govern the transport sector.”
He disclosed that the policy would among other stipulate how the state would achieve intermodal system of transportation as well as regulate what modes of vehicles to use by who, and for what mode or modes of transportation. The policy would set the standards below which no operator can go in investing in the transportation industry in the state.
“All concerned stakeholders are invited to join the state government in the discussion towards a robust Lagos State Transport policy. We believe that at the end of the event, we would be able to achieve a policy that would be sustainable and one that would be able to take the state to its destination as a frontline smart city, not only in Nigeria but in the West sub-saharan Africa and on the African continent,” Lawanson added.