Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has, for the umpteenth time, pleaded with the residents of the state to bear with the government over deplorable state of many roads in the metropolis.
The governor reiterated that most of the roads would witness government’s intervention as soon as the rain ceases.
Sanwo-Olu spoke on Friday at the launch of UberBoat, which is a service extension from Uber in collaboration with the Lagos State Government in partnership with the Lagos State Waterways Authority and Texas Connection Ferries, UberBoat will be available only on weekdays for the next two weeks starting from 11 to 25 October 2019 travelling along the Ikorodu-Falomo and Falomo-Ikorodu.
Lagosians have continued to groan over the litany of bad roads in the state which has worsened traffic gridlock in the commercial capital with residents spending two hours to six hours before arriving their destinations.
However the government has continually assured that measures would be taken to eliminate the pains of Lagosians by intervening on the roads after the rainy season.
The Governor reiterated this even as he said the launch of the UberBoat signified the commitment of the government to develop water transportation as a deliberate move to ease the worsening traffic gridlock.
Sanwo-Olu noted that despite the sparse landmass of the state which he estimated to be about 0.4 per cent of the entire Nigerian landmass and the massive waterways, the state has not taken advantage of the vast waterways to ease pressure on the roads.
He said traffic management and transportation is one of the cardinal programmes of his administration encapsulated in the ‘THEMES’ agenda, assuring that the government would develop inter-modal transportation to ease the pressure on the road.
“Our intention is to encourage Lagosians to use the waterway transportation which is very safe and efficient,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu said he had directed the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) not to compromise on safety in regulating activities on the waterway, noting that the state government and the National Inland Waterway Authority (NIWA) are on the same page to develop water transportation in the state. General Manager, West Africa for Uber, Lola Kassim said Uber is deploying its technology to develop the state water transportation.
