Despite ‘few hiccups’, Sanwo-Olu assures 2022 Lagos rail project completion

Press Statement

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, has expressed hope that the Lagos  Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) projects will be concluded by 2022.

He stated this during an inspection of project sites, alongside deputy governor Obafemi Hamzat and other officials.

“Based on the physical assessment, we are believing that the timelines set for the completion of major engineering work are on track, said the governor in a statement by Gboyega Akosile, his press secretary.

He added, “We are also believing that our contractor is working on schedule. Although there are few hiccups, we believe we will be able to address and surmount them.

“By the last quarter of 2022, we hope that trains would move on both corridors. And by 2023, we expect to see the full operation of both Blue and Red Lines.”

‘The Blue Line project, which started in 2010, is currently at over 80 percent completion,’ added the government statement.

Places the governor visited are the Yaba Terminal, Oyingbo Train Terminus, and Marina Terminus of the Blue Line.

“At Marina Station, not only are we building rail tracks, underneath we will have a bus station as well for the BRT and First-and-Last Mile buses. There will also be a ferry service at the Marina Station for those who want to travel through the waterways,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The Governor reportedly hailed the Chinese contractor for the speed of the construction but said there was a need for knowledge and skill transfer in order to retain the engineering skills brought into the projects by the Chinese contractor.

‘Sanwo-Olu directed engagement of engineering students at the State-owned Lagos State University (LASU), University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) through internship programme to enable them have practical knowledge of rail construction.’