ekt_bear: People oriented gestures are nice. But you always have to ask, who is paying for this? Where is the money coming from?

ekt_bear: Free bus ride for X days per year is financially feasible. It effectively means the other 365-X days cost slightly more than they should. At least in that case it is clear where the money comes from..slightly higher fees.

However, in the case of trains, it is not as clear where the money is coming from.

Also, train transportation is probably at least an order of magnitude more expensive than intracity bus rides.

I doubt the US or my state government could afford to give me a free train ride.

So just wondering where the money is coming from from Lagos to Osogbo (not a small distance and thus presumably not cheap..)

alj harem: Good question.

BTW why is Eko Ile not telling us about the railway service connecting the SW together ? At least if Tinubu is serious, we should be seeing the plans by now, 2015 is around the corner so what is happening ?

The ACN speed rail project


With an under-achieving transportation network, characterised by bad stretches, insufficient road networks, a poorly developed water ways, an inefficient air transport system coupled with moribund rail lines, there is the utmost need for a modern and efficient high speed rail transportation system to enhance long-term growth of other developmental processes like power generation and distribution.

[b]Designed as a loop within the western part of the country, the high speed rail project will cover a distance of 800 kilometres through major industrial and commercial centres. It would also accommodate growth potentials with expansion into new arteries as well as extension into other regions of the country. Expectedly, it will facilitate major industrialisation of the area. It will also improve transportation of agricultural produce and create immediate political awareness for further emancipation of the people.

According to Hammcobtb Engineering, it had put together a team of consultants to oversee the design, construction specification and implement the fast rail route. An initial evaluation, they said, had been made, potential technical partners identified and necessary contacts made on the project. The average cost of the high speed rail system covering a distance of 800 kilometres in a loop within the terrain of the South West is put at about $57 billion with a completion time of 156 weeks.[/b]

This cost, as high as it may appear, is not expected to be borne by the respective governments alone or even at all. The encouragement of public-private partnership in various forms and scales seem to be a key policy in financing all types of transport infrastructure. This will ease the burden of maintaining and expanding transportation facilities which has simply grown too great to be borne solely by tax-payers and government.

The rail project, therefore, will be funded through a public-private initiative, which presupposes that the project when completed will be run on a commercially viable basis through private sector investors. This should guarantee timely completion, efficient management of the rail system, and uninterrupted pay-back of project cost.

The involvement of the various governments may be limited to expressing interest in writing which should enable Hammcobtb Engineering bring in foreign investors; assistance in obtaining necessary permits from the federal government; release of right of way and the execution of a Board of Trustees (BOT) agreement for the project.

In view of the great prospect of the project, the governments of the South West should give the proposal its due consideration and lend their weight as a measure of commitment via a letter of expression of interest which should facilitate Hammcobtb‘s further negotiations with “international parties already identified for the project”.

According to the engineering company, it has “relationship with fund providers from South Africa and Canada who have indicated firm interest in funding this project”.

Hammcobtb‘s proposal should be revisited by a technical committee set up by the governors concerned to study and properly advise them on the viability and its overall benefit not only to the states of the West but to the nation as a whole.

The high speed rail service with a speed of about 250 kilometres an hour is expected to open up the rural areas for easy access for development as well as aid and sustain all other developmental reforms in the region by the present visionary leaders of the western part of the country.

The creation of a safe, efficient and affordable transport system will increase the quality of life of the people. Such a project is bound to decongest the cities as most of those who work in Lagos, Ibadan and other cities and towns within the region would prefer to live in their villages or other towns far away and commute to the cities to work.

Our highways would, therefore, be decongested of the heavy vehicular movement presently being experienced particularly in Lagos. These are generally the needs of the people and any government which can identify and meet the most pressing needs of its populace is guaranteed continuous support. Meeting the needs of the people is an insurance policy for any government to stay in power.

There is no doubt, the governors of the South West are visionary and have a burning passion to take their states to a higher level and make the region a pacesetter once again. This is one project which should help them achieve a higher quality of life for the people and return the region to the glorious days of yor

Eko Ile:


Instead of siting on NL moaning and groaning about Tinubu as if you are his long lost disgruntled babymama, why not just spend sometime to educate yourself about the people you spend so much time criticizing... How many times I go educate you and also deliver you from your ignorance?

You let hate for one man turn you into a sad and pathetic ignorant person......SMH


Anyways, let me school you as usual....





http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/16649-the-acn-speed-rail-project.html

alj harem:

You link is since august 2011, we are in April 2012 that is about 8 months since that article came out !!!

I do not just criticize tinubu or ACN. I have to put them on their toes so they know people are watching and they cannot just promise and don't expect people to be keep tabs on them.

alj harem: Good question.

BTW why is Eko Ile not telling us about the railway service connecting the SW together ? At least if Tinubu is serious, we should be seeing the plans by now, 2015 is around the corner so what is happening ?

Osun: Providing Social Services to Travelers through Rail – Oyintiloye

Rail Transportation service, for centuries has been the cheapest and safest means of transportation, explaining the rationale behind emphasis laid on it in developed countries, but in Nigeria successive government have continued to leave citizens at the mercy of transporters who exploit them during any festive period but the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola since its inception in late 2010 has continued to provide this essential service to the people of the state free with a view to ensuring that they arrive their destination free of exploitation and risk of life.
Since the condemnation of the rail system in the country, travelling during festive periods has always been a difficult times for travelers who travel from where they sojourn to their various home towns to celebrate with members of their families. On various occasions, some would have to suspend their trips due to the usual high cost of transportation that always characterized the period, while others would be forced to wait until after such festival before they could be able to travel. Besides, the risk attached to it at these periods is always a factor hindering some families from being together when they needed it most.

Though, it is no longer news that the administration Aregbesola in Osun State in its characteristics manner of attending positively to the welfare of the indigenes of the state who live within and outside the state made provision for travelers to and fro the state through its Rail Service free of charge during the last Christmas and New Year celebration, but the new dimension this Easter period, is the uniqueness of the timing of the movement of the rail system to and fro Lagos state to Osun state.
Inspite the fact that the farmers who are the primary targets of the Rail Service Project have not started utilizing it fully to transport their farm produce to Lagos for sale with a view to getting high profit, the conveyance of passengers who are traveling, especially from Lagos to Osun and vice versa has made the project which many believed was impossible to have its grip and fully operational and has also bring succor to the lives of indigenes of the state living in Lagos and other state.

[b]However, for the 2012 Easter period, the government of the state of Osun kick-started the project specifically on Thursday, April 5, 2012, when the train took off from Iddo terminus in Lagos and branched at Oshodi, Ikeja and Agege terminals to pick passengers who are coming to Osun. The train arrived Osogbo at exactly 8:05 pm on Thursday and the passengers were welcomed by the Commissioners, Mr Ismail Alagbada (Coomerce, Cooperatives and Industry), Muyiwa Ige (Land and Physical Planning and urban Development) as well as some other government officials.
On Good Friday, at 11 am, the train also left Osogbo for Lagos, and on Saturday at 10 am, it was on its way back to Osogbo from Lagos. On Monday, which is the last day, at 12 noon, the train finally departed Osogbo for Lagos.
Indigenes of neighbouring states like Ogun and Oyo living in Lagos state also benefitted from the scheme, as the train also conveyed them from Lagos, as well as those travelling from those states to Osun. Even those that were travelling to states like Kwara and Ekiti also benefitted from the gesture, as they joined the train to Osogbo, from where they boarded commercial buses to their various towns, hence, reducing the amount they would spent on transportation for their trips.[/b]
The service, powered by the Osun Hub (O’Hub) team of the government was coordinated by the Ministry of Commerce in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism and Home Affairs in the state.

As if they were in their home, the comfortability enjoyed by the passengers could not be over-emphasized, as there was adequate security of lives and properties because security operatives were also on the trip, just as the high level of hygiene in the coaches of the train were adequate.
Unlike the experience of the government during the last Christmas and New Year celebrations when the turn-out of travelers was low, probably due to lack of information, the number of the travelers during the Easter period was higher, as more passengers boarded the train.
Some of the passengers who joined the train to Osogbo from Lagos spoke with this medium shortly after alighting at the Railway Terminus in Osogbo, commending the administration of Aregbesola for its initiative to develop such programme for the benefit of the people of the state and the South-West in general.

[b]Isiah Adejumo, a Civil Servant in Lagos State who joined the train to Osogbo alongside his wife and two kids for Easter celebration said that despite the fact he had been living in Lagos for 10 years, he has never enjoyed such opportunity from any government. He described the project as beneficial and called on the government not to allow itself to be deterred by ensuring the continuation of the offer, saying that this would encourage more people to come to the state and in turn boost the economy of the state.
A National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) member, Mr Olusegun Olusola, who is currently serving in Abeokuta said that he had never entered train all his life until the gesture of the Aregbesola administration got to him, describing the trip as exciting and interesting. The corps member who claimed to be going to Ogbomosho said: “It is a very exciting experience. Infact, I will write it in my diary that today for the first time I boarded a train through the effort of Governor Rauf Aregbesola. I was so comfortable entering it, it is safe and there is no any fear of accidents. It is one of the most exciting experiences in my life that I will never forget”.

Meanwhile, another passenger who declined to mention his names called on the government to step up announcement for the offer so that more people could benefit from the offers of the government, through the free and comfortable transportation, as there are many people who would have preferred to travel through the train but for lack of awareness.
He said that with the gesture, the government of the state of Osun has taken minimum of N2,000 off the expenses the travelers would have incurred in getting to their destinations, saying that “the safety and welfare of the people that boarded the train were also guaranteed and as you can see, the gesture is geared towards the welfare of the people of the state and the development of the economy of the state”.[/b]
“You will be seeing more of this. Aside using it to transporting people, we will use it to transport agriculture produce to Lagos from Osun and manufactured goods to Osun from Lagos”, he said.

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Sunday Akere said that the essence of this gesture by the government was to ensure that the administration of Aregbesola provides the best for the indigenes of the State of Osun, as the government was determined to ensure that nothing delayed or hinder the movement of those who intended to come home and celebrate the festive period with their families.
“The intention of the government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is to ensure that people come home to see the wonders the administration is doing and compare what we had the last time they were around, to what we have now and make useful suggestions to the government where necessary.
“The government of the day is there to serve everybody and we want to ensure that everybody is given the opportunity to benefit from what the government is doing.

“People of other states are also benefitting and they would continue to benefit from this programme, as the state is working in conjunction with other states of the South-West to ensure a viable and active regional integration and we feel that one of the best ways to achieve this is to ensure the transportation of people and goods within the region”, Akere asserted.
As a responsible government, Akere maintained, it is imperative that the security of the peoples live should be given adequate priority, hence, the provision of rail service to reduce the rate of accident on the road.
However, it is suffice to say that the rail service has found its way in the state of Osun and it is now left for the Federal Government to wake up to its challenges and revamp the rail service across the country for the benefit of the people.
Oyintiloye Olatunbosun, Assistant Director, Community Forum, Bureau of Communication and strategy office of the Governor, state of Osun.

Gbawe: http://www.osundefender.org/?p=28722