Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has stated that the Federal Government’s Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Railway project is in line with the State’s Transportation Master Plan, and that freight stations crisscrossing the state will provide manufacturers with a good platform to export their goods and services to the rest of the world.
The Governor stated this in an interview with the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Chibuike Ameachi, after touring the new Abeokuta Train Station at Laderin Estate. He added that in addition to Abeokuta, the state also has freight stations in Kajola and Agbado.
“I want to enjoin our indigenes to begin to patronise the services as extra wagons will commence operation tomorrow.
“There are freight stations along this train corridor at Kajola and Agbado and we do not have a doubt that manufacturers will take advantage of this freight stations to load their containers for export and also receive their containers coming from ports to this State”.
He said that the Lagos-Ibadan railway line, which runs through the state, offers a variety of transportation options not just for the state’s residents, but also for the state’s transportation master plan to grow.
The state helmsman while expressing his excitement that out of the ten stations that are between Lagos and Ibadan, the State has five of the stations, added that issues bordering on security and access road to the train terminal would be given immediate priority.
Abiodun noted that the train service would not only be for the transportation of passengers, but would also provide manufacturers an avenue to transport their finished products and containers, adding that a committee that would look at issues that would further enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the train service would be set up between the state and federal ministries of Transportation.
He commended President Buhari led-administration for providing fund for the execution of the project, noting that the project fits perfectly with his administration’s Transportation Master Plan.
The Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon Rotimi Amaechi, had earlier stated that the terminal was ready for commissioning by the president and that the Ministry would also enhance the number of trains that travel on the rail track in a day.
