By Ademola Orunbon
The Ogun State has been viewed and certified fit for Urban Mobility Support by a World Bank team, who made a working visit to the state with the mission to work out areas of technical assistance in Urban Mobility in the State and provide the needed support.
The program which is within the framework of Urban Livability And Mobility Programmatic Advisory Services And Analytics ( ASA ), is in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Transportation, with the focus on providing supports to emerging states in the Transport systems.
Welcoming the team at the conference room, Ministry of Transportation, Commissioner designate, Engr. Olugbenga Dairo appreciated the World Bank for deeming it fit to visit the State for a stakeholders’ engagement session in order to have a firsthand experience of urban transportation scheme in the state.
“I want to say that we are delighted to have the representatives of the World Bank in our State, and that is in recognition of Prince Dapo Abiodun’s deliberate move at improving the transportation sector in few months back.
“The Governor had approached the World Bank to support the government developmental agenda for the transport sector. We are glad that they are here and having seen their positive impacts in other parts of the country, we are sure that their presence will bring the much-awaited support, thus, improving the transport landscape of the state”, Engr. Dairo said
In his presentation on ‘Ogun Urban Transport Overview’ Director of Transport Policy and Coordination, Engr. Tosin Akinleye, reaffirmed the government’s commitment towards the re-engineering development of the state, revealing to the visitors the growth in human and infrastructural development of the state.
He said that the government identified a soaring population density in the state because of its peculiar location as it shares borders with Lagos, the business capital of the country, and also as the gateway to Nigeria, because its vehicular movements routes.
He also stated that its ways into the north, east and the southern parts of the nation and posited that the Lagos-Ibadan express way arguably assumed the position of the busiest road network in the country with a larger portion of the road domiciled in the state, hence the imperativeness of the government to improve the transportation system as it would be a win-win situation for the people and the government thereby making living comfortable and increasing the prosperity of the land.
Akinleye equally identified the informal sector as the major drivers of the transport system of the state, noting that tricycles, motorcycles and pick and drop cars have helped to cater for the immediate needs of the populace.
He noted that it is high time or an evolving Urban Mobility Intervention that could cater for the sprawling population, saying that the world bank team visit was apt in addressing some of these challenges.
Responding, the World Bank team leader, Mrs. Fatimo Arroyo said she was delighted that the state has taken a giant step ahead at improving the institutional framework of Urban transport and also making further steps to improve the situation especially with the introduction of the CNG engine buses that would serve urban and intra city transportation.
She affirmed by saying, “We have seen from the presentation and other notable facts on ground, we will look into what we can do as Ogun state is worth our support”
Earlier in his remarks, the State House of Assembly Committee Chairman on Transportation Hon. Daisi Elemide applauded the team for the fact finding mission and meeting with stakeholders in the sector, noting that the engagement was the most critical part of any reforms and planning.
He therefore pledged his support towards fostering the synergy, and fast-track the passing of an enabling Transport Law that would ease the burden of the sector if such bill is brought to the House.
The highpoint of the visit was a city ride on one of the CNG Powered Mass Transit Bus for a snapchat of what transportation system is in the State.
