Lagosians from all divides have hailed Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on the recent commissioning of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road, the Oshodi Transport Interchange and other projects across the state. The projects were commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari.
A state-wide vox pop conducted by Political Economist returned a verdict of commendation for the governor whom many said stands out among the crowd with the quality of infrastructure he has delivered within the state.
Mr. Seun Oluwadamire, a fish merchant and owner of a cold room in Ajao Estate, airport road thanked the governor for rescuing residents and business community in the estate who use the road daily from the pain of traffic jam due to the bad state of the road. “Our businesses have suffered because of this road. Besides, if truly we call it international airport road, we must make sure that it is of international standard and this is what Governor Ambode has done. We thank him for this as it will help in the movement of our goods and delivery to our other outlets”.
An airport cab operator, Mr Sunday Dada, said what Ambode has done is something that “will help us transporters increase our daily earnings”. He said: “We depend on air transport passengers for our daily uptake. But what we usually suffer is heavy traffic as a result of bad road. At some point when you pick a passenger to drop in town heavy traffic will force you to close from there because you cannot find your way back to the airport to pick the next passenger. This robs us of revenue”, he lamented.
Commending Governor Ambode on the commissioning of the multi-level Oshodi Interchange, Mrs Wunmi Odesola, proprietress of a private school in Surulere area of Lagos said activities at the Interchange will ensure that street urchins also known as Area Boys will no longer have a place at Oshodi. Mrs Odesola who said she had been robbed at the spot where the Interchange stands towards the Mushin end of the road thanked the governor for breathing positive life into “notorious and dangerous Oshodi Oke”.
Earlier, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) had commended the Lagos State Government for the massive investment in road infrastructure.
The Lagos State Chairmen of NURTW and RTEAN, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede and Alhaji Mohammed Musa respectively, gave the commendation in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN
The transport union leaders spoke against the backdrop of key road infrastructure executed by Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode and inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Lagos.
According to them, the 10-lane expansion of Airport road, inauguration of Oshodi Transport Interchange, new buses and terminals are milestones in the development of public transportation in the state.
Agbede, who commended Ambode for massively investing in the transport sector, said that efficient transportation was crucial to the socioeconomic development of any state.
According to him, the new 820 buses and road infrastructure will boost transportation and lessen difficulties being faced by many residents.
“Our union appreciates the governor for the delivery of these projects and buses.
“It is a welcome development and it will complement the existing ones to help Lagosians move from one place to another comfortably,” he said.
Musa, who commended the government for its investment in road infrastructure and public transportation, appealed to both Federal and state governments to help fix bad roads in the state and country.
“Many roads in the state and country need government’s intervention.
“They are in bad condition. Government should do more to end the hardship many are going through.
“The cause of most accidents is bad roads. See the Lagos-Badagary Expressway where lives are lost almost on a daily basis and so many others,” the RTEAN boss said.