Leaders of the All Progressives Congress in the Ojokoro Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, on Friday lauded Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for making the area one of strategic points of the Red Line train service.

The state government on Thursday announced that the Red Line train service would commence full passenger operations on October 15 from Agbado, in Ojokoro LCDA.

The APC chieftains spoke at the Lagos State House of Assembly’s 9th Constituency Stakeholders’ Meeting held at Ojokoro in Ifako-Ijaiye Constituency II.

They said that the train service, connecting  Agbado to Lagos Mainland, would boost economic activities in the area and other places on the corridor.

The Chairman, Ojokoro LCDA Hammed Tijani stated that the Red Line passenger train service,when fully operational, would bring a new level of development to  Ojokoro and the state in general.

Mr Tijani said that the train service would ease movement of people from the area to Lagos Mainland and Island.

In his comment, a former Lagos lawmaker and APC chieftain, Ipoola Omisore, said that with the Red Line train service, the state had set a pace for other states.

Mr Omisore said, “Mass transit is the way to go. Our roads are heavily tasked. Our roads are heavily used. So, in Lagos State, we need interconnectivity. The train service starting from Agbado to Oyingbo is the answer to the perennial traffic congestion on this corridor. If you look at our roads here, it is terrible because of heavy vehicular movements. Now, people from Agbado can go faster by train than those using the road. So, for those of us at Ojokoro, all we need to do is to park our vehicles here and travel by train to Mainland and Island.’’

The former lawmaker, however, called for a spacious car park at the train station for people who might want to drive to the station before joining the train.

“I want to ask the state to provide enough space at the station that is safe for us to park our cars before joining the train. Kudos to Governor Sanwo-Olu because he did not stop what his predecessors had done,” he added.

Also speaking, an APC chief and ex-lawmaker, Rasheed Makinde, noted that the Red Line train service, originating from Agbado would ease vehicular traffic from Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

Mr Makinde said, “Lagos State has been a progressive and proactive state. If not for the military interruption of the civilian rule in 1983 and stoppage of the Metroline, a lot would have been achieved regarding train services. The military incursion has really brought setbacks to the state. What the present government is doing is good because it is targeting those who are living in the hinterland. Transport is key to the economy of any place. With this movement in and out of Lagos State can be easier and affordable. So, I want to give kudos to the governor for what he has been doing,”

An APC leader in Ojokoro, Dr Waleeh Ipaye, said the people would benefit a lot from the initiative.

Also speaking, the Babaloja General, Ojokoro LCDA, Oladejo Akinloye, said that the Red Line would bring much relief to the people of the area and the state.

The Managing Director of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, Abimbola Akinajo, while announcing the commencement of the service, said that daily train services would begin at 6:00 a.m. from Agbado.

The Red Line rail spans 37 kilometers, running from Agbado to Marina with 13 stations: Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, MMIA International, MMIA Domestic, Oshodi, Mushin, Yaba, Ebute-Metta, Iddo, Ebute Ero, and Marina.

This first phase covers 27 kilometers and has eight stations: Oyingbo, Yaba, Mushin, Oshodi, Ikeja, Agege, Iju, and Agbado.

(NAN)