By Dear Mr Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, kindly permit me Sir, to pen my thoughts and evaluation of your THEMES Agenda by enumerating the gains and pains so far.
Your administration THEMES Agenda which is the acronym for Traffic Management and Transportation, Health and Enviroment, Education and Technology, Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy, Entertainment and Tourism and Governance and Security remain a veritable benchmark of scoring the administration’s performance.
In the area of traffic management and transportation, which is the very first of the THEMES Agenda, it is worthy to note that there has been tremendous development in our traffic management system. Your gigantic investment in the ministry of transportation has metamorphosed into transport centric infrastructural development in most of the 57 LCDAs in Lagos. This is evidenced in bridge constructions, roundabout remodelling, installation of traffic lights, addition of new buses to the BRT fleet etc. To make commuting easy, seamless and in conformity with international best practice, a technologically driven Cowry card was introduced that makes intermodal transportation of using the road, water and rail transportation modes easy with a single card. This is a good transfer of technology from developed countries being experienced by the majority of Lagosians. Without necessarily travelling abroad, many commuters now have practical know-how of what they see in films or read in books about the usage of cards for transportation.
However, may I bring to your kind notice that 95% of Lagosians are suffering and smiling with the poor service being rendered by Primero Bus Service Limited. It is either most of the buses are not working or there is not enough human power to man them. Most commuters spend not less than one to two hours standing at different bus stations before boarding to their different destinations. I am sure, this is not in tandem with the desire of the Governor. While on a queue one fateful morning, I overheard discussions of angry Lagosians saying,”the governor is not aware that the monopoly enjoyed by Primero Bus Service Limited on concessioned routes has given them the latitude and complacency to exhibit gross nonchalant attitude towards the commuters on daily basis and if he is aware, the power that be have tied the Governor’s hand that he cannot checkmate or reprimand Primero Bus Service for the poor service delivery to Lagosians, who are at the excruciating end of Primero’s inefficiency”. I believe it is not going to be a crime or too late if our dear caring Governor can allow some other logistics companies with competence and pedigree of quality service delivery to operate on the BRT corridor to further reduce the unnecessary stress Lagosians undergo on a daily basis.
Mr Governor, posterity will judge you for the good things you are doing in the health and environment sectors. The Ilera Eko is just an initiative that says it all. I can also testify to the huge investment you are putting into our environmental sector. Under your watch LAWMA services have improved technologically. The era of wastes littering major roads are long gone. May we not experience such again, in Lagos.
I cannot stop without commending your giant strides in education and technology. I am aware that budgetary allocations to these sectors under your administration have increased and it is judiciously spent with commissioning of technologically compliant school structures across Lagos State. The rate at which parents cherish public schools is loveable.
On the other hand Sir, the new light up Lagos drive is timely and commendable. I wish you humbly seek the cooperation of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and the Lagos Neighborhood Safety Corps (LNSC) to monitor the facilities especially at the eleventh hour.
As the year draws nearer, I want to say thank you Mr Governor, as we cannot wait to use our God given right to appreciate you come 2023.
Yours truly,
Com. Alarape Aliu
aaalarape@gmail.com
