 I'm your host, Love Ikuku Oyeduku. Working together, carrying the people along, keeping your feet on the ground and ensuring that every decision you take has the best interest of the people at the heart of it all. Are the surest ways to succeed? This was a charge handed down by legal state governor Babajideh Sawulu to the 37th commissioners and special advisors while taking their oath of office. The governor also enjoined them to engage collaboratively and work together to build on the success of his administration's first four years in office as well as do their best to surpass the expectations of legal residents. The State Executive Council is a mixture of politicians and technocrats having 29 mills and eight females. It is made up of 18 returning members of the immediate past cabinet members and 19 new ones. This is the Greater Lagos Vision. Welcome once again. I'm Love Ikuku Oyeduku. This episode features red row line projects Sawulu inspects work at Agbado Ogun Boundary. Domestic and sexual violence, Sawulu urges collaboration to a surge. Transportation, Sawulu takes first right as Lagos' blue rail begins operations. Details of these are minimal. When we return, please don't go away. Lagos State Governor Babajideh Sawulu has restated his administration's determination to make the red rail line project, which is over 19% complete, a reality as scheduled. The governor stated this while on an inspection tour of ongoing work on the red rail project at Latif Jack on the Station, Agbado Ogun Boundary with Ogun State. Governor Sawulu's first part of call is the Agbado Station in Ogun State. Here, the governor and his entourage were greeted by these mammoth crowds, cheering and hailing him. Wasting no time, Governor Sawulu assures the people of his administration's determination to complete the project on schedule while warning against treading on the red tracks. The governor told them that the entire tracks will be totally walled off as he gave those treading around there two days to vacate. A juice station was the governor's next part of call. He then proceeded to Aggege and Ikeja stations. From here, the entourage moved to Yaba Station, which is a few kilometers away from the Nigerian Railway Corporation, a Bute Meta station. The visibly elated governor expressed satisfaction at a level of work done on the red rail line. The governor said that there was a need to clean up all of the illegal activities that have been conducted on the red track, which shouldn't be, and some final approach around pedestrian bridges that we need to clean up and we need to finish, and general cleaning up of all of the stations as part of the things that we need to do. So I think that I'm very impressed with the level of work of all the contractors that are working on our red line rail corridor. We believe that we're still on track to see how we can finish before the end of this year. And that's what we're committed to. We will work tirelessly around the clock to see how that will happen, especially if we can be very hard on enforcement, enforcement to ensure that we can preserve intruders on a rail corridor. That's the most important information that I think we want to take away today that we've told some people that are selling, that are working on the rail corridor, that it will be zero tolerance. But given notices of appeal to them, you are there, you saw it, and we need to clean up all of the entire rail corridor so that it can be free for passenger, rail passenger movement when it will start. It's going to be a change in our attitude, in our way of life. And because this rail track is a great meaning, it's not elevated that we have a lot of work to do. So one lo who called for a change of attitude on the part of residents spoke on the unique features of the red rail line. We've told some people that are selling, that are working on the rail corridor, that it will be zero tolerance. But given notices of appeal to them, you are there, you saw it, and we need to clean up all of the entire rail corridor so that it can be free for passenger, rail passenger movement when it will start. It's going to be a change in our attitude, in our way of life. And because this rail track is a great meaning, it's not elevated that we have on the blue line. So we have a lot of work to do to ensure that people are not in any form on the rail track. Significantly, we have rolled off most of the rail track using the wire mesh. But you will notice that at some point, right, we'll probably need to go back and do proper concrete work because with the wire mesh, they have started people breaking them and opening up. So we have taken a view and a decision that we will especially maybe 500 meters to almost a kilometer to the train platform itself. We'll probably need to do concrete work to be able to secure the passengers, to be able to secure the citizens from themselves, you know, against safety, you know, that will be happening on that rail corridor. The other things that were noticed is at the construction of the vehicular bridges, some have been completed, I mean, 100 percent, you know. And I guess that the bridge, Kedja alone is completed. The bridge, Kedja is completed. And the one at Kedja is about 97, 98 percent. You just need a few cleaning up and just a few roads for each other to be pretty much completed. It's completed, right? So what we will be doing, even before we launch the full red light, is to give vehicular relief to the citizens. So the first bridge that we're probably going to open will be the Yaba Bridge, which we'll do in the month of October. And so we'll do that so that passengers, vehicles, and beginning to use that beautiful bridge. And thereafter, we'll quickly, maybe within a week or two, also go to Kedja alone and open that big, magnificent bridge as well. The Red Rail Line project is a 37 kilometer north-south railroad. It is proposed to run from Agbadu to Marina with 11 other stations, including Iju, Agege, Ikeja, Maltala-Mohamed International Airport, MMA, Thomastik, Oshodi, Moshi, Yaba, Ibutemeta, Idu, and Ibuteru. The long-awaited Lagos State Blue Rail has commenced full commercial operations with Governor Sawonlu taking the first ride. The first ride took off at exactly 9.40 a.m., fully loaded from Marina to Mile 2, having Governor Babaji De Sawonlu and some selected persons taking the ride. Our first stop was at the National Theater Station, Igamon, at 9.22 a.m. We then continued to Orile Igamon and had another stop by 9.29 a.m. The train thereafter continued to Alaba Station at 9.35 a.m. and finally got to Mile 2 Station by 9.40 a.m. It took us approximately 18 minutes from Marina to Mile 2. Visibly elated, Sawonlu feeling fulfilled, charged residents to take ownership of the facility. The governor reminded them that the ride track is electrically powered while warning against pedestrian crossing. He also urged Legosians to purchase the car record to be able to cruise on the train. The Lastra card, which is our state citizen's identity card, can also be used on the train. Sawonlu employed all of you also, especially students, especially you students, to go get your Lastra card because you can actually travel with the Lastra card on the train because it has a chip and I think it has a wallet as well. It has the ability to be able to do tap-in and tap-up as well. On the car record, Legos also announced that we've got almost 4 million citizens that have the car record already. And so this car record can be used on the train, on our busses, BRT and also on the ferry services. So let's go out there and get our car record. Plus, TV News spoke with some passengers on their experience on the ride. The journey time for me is the kind of most important thing I want to take away from this ride. You can imagine from Marina to Mai Tu and it takes you just about 26 minutes. That speaks a lot. So for people that want to pay for their time, I think it's one good thing that has ever happened in Legos to Legosians. Well, I think it's something commendable. It has been because nobody ever believed it was going to take off. But at the end of the day, we're able to get it done. But after all that now, what we need in Nigeria, where all of our work is maintenance culture, vandalizing is not part of maintaining. And security-wise should be adequate place in place to enhance other areas of transport system to flourish. I think it's very, very important. I congratulate our president, our previous ones who have actually contributed to the growth of this project. I commend each and every one of them. From Marina to Mai Tu, 17 to 19 minutes. To ever quit a passenger of 1,200. Definitely it will reduce the number of vehicles that will be coming from that particular corridor to Marina. Thereby reducing the congestion on our road. To me, it's a welcome developing. It's a way to go and by the grace of God, we have more of this type of innovations coming into play in the policies of the government. I want to urge the government to take ownership of this particular project. Make sure that it's well maintained. Make sure that we patronize. Make sure that we key into the rules and regulations, guiding the usage of this particular train, so that it will serve all of us and serve us much more better. Because if we do that, government themselves will be encouraged to do more, to invest more for the prosperity of the people of Lagos City. The first phase of the rail line extends from Marina to Mai Tu, with five stations located in Marina National Theatre, Igomu, Alaba and Urile. Commercial operations have taken off in earnest at the Lagos New Rail Line. All Lagos citizens have different choices at their fingertips. They can choose either to go by train or by the usual commercial process, and even go by sea. Very pleasant, very pleasant. Number one, giving you the overview. If you look at your left, if you look at both left and right, you see this unity of Lagos City. There are areas that you are not really exposed to, areas that you don't actually know what is happening. Riding on this particular train has given us the opportunity of assessing how the whole station looks like. So to me, it's a very good development. Transport is a key area to the growth of economy. And where there is no transport, no nation, no economy, that is my slogan. But now, for me to have witnessed this kind of launching, I think it is something that is very, very interesting. Because I remember those days when I was going to school in Ibadan. You go by train from Ido down to Ibadan, but today I am overwhelmed. This one has actually reduced drastically on traffic and what have you. This is more even more comfortable than any other transport system. Lagos State Governor Babaji Desongunu has called for collaboration and partnership with the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency to bring an end to the vice in the state. The governor stated these are the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency governor's award and commendation dinner held in Lagos. It was a night of commendation, gratitude and appreciation. The annual commendation and awards night usually wraps up a month-long activities and programs designed to showcase governments' achievements in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence. Governor Babaji Desongunu was represented by the secretary to the state government, Abimbola Salu Hundei. The governor who described sexual and gender-based violence as evil, wicked and inhuman code for more convictions of the bad acts in society to serve as deterrents to others. He's eradicated from our state. See something, say something. Your safety is our concern. The government believes in security of all people. We don't want anybody to be bullied or to be abused, however. And that's why this has come up again. It's another form of enlightenment. It's not just for us to come and eat and drink, but to remind ourselves of the importance of ensuring that gender-based violence is completely eradicated from Lagos state. Titi Lola Vaivo Adenei is the executive secretary of Lagos Domestic and Sexual-Based Violence Agency. While giving a rundown of the achievements of the agency, she called on everyone experiencing one form of violence or the other to reach out to them. We are looking at this from a preventive and a response lens. We're creating awareness, engaging the critical stakeholders, including the children, parents, members of the society, community leaders, religious clerics, because we know that it's important for us to heighten awareness about these issues so that people know that these are crimes, crimes are committed against the state and ultimately ensure perpetrators are held accountable. So we'd like to encourage every resident of Lagos state who may be experiencing one form of violence or the other to know that they're not alone. We believe them, we encourage them to reach out to us on our toll free line 08000 3333. Remember, there is help for you. HGPB, not in my Lagos. Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Lawa Pedro declared that the time of complacency is long gone and urged members of the public to help sustain the conversation to enable the government to build a progressive society. We celebrate the real heroes who despise the societal pressures on told hardship, denies and pain who are bold enough to speak up and say enough is enough. I charge you all to remain ambassadors and flag carriers in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence. This conversation may be sustained in our workplaces, religious places, religious institutions, residential area, social area, social media also inclusive. This is of almost importance if we truly desire a progressive and humane society. We also recognise that they are being bold to speak up. We want to tell the various institutions, the colleges, the nursery schools who come to courts as witnesses. What can we say? This is a very serious crime and nobody should sweep it under the carpet. We must keep reporting so that we can get the lockdown. It's a new beginning and we promise that the courts in Lagos States will never be left behind. India's separate remarks, wife of Lagos State Governor, the chief judge of Lagos State and the commissioner of police who were all represented at the event loaded the effort of the state government towards fighting the menace. As part of measures aimed at serving future generations of resource scarcity, the Lagos State government is set to fully implement ongoing discussions on circular economy geared towards turning waste to wealth. Governors of Oulu disclosed this at the formal launch of the circular economy hotspot in Lagos at a conference organised by the state government in collaboration with the Secular Economy Innovation Partnership, CEIP and the African Secular Economy Network, Health in Lagos. Gathered in this hall, a world-renowned experts and delegates from business, politics, science and public institutions. They are here, deliberate in on circular business, models, strategies and approaches from respective host regions and cities. The event provided an avenue for exchange between international industry counterparts to drive the regional and global development of circular economy. Governor Babaji Desu Oulu, in his keynote address, expressed commitment of his administration towards realignment of the linear system to a more sustainable and resilient circular economy based on sharing, reusing and recycling of existing materials. To demonstrate our commitment, a technical working group on circular economy was constituted in 2021 and set up project targets, coordinate and facilitate the development of a circular Lagos project, supporting and monitoring projects implementation. In addition, we have established an interactive web-based citizens' engagement dashboard called the Wheel of Progress, which is designed to measure the level of implementation and the impact of every plan, every program, every project of this administration. So Oulu is optimistic that the circular economy would transcend Lagos, the country at large, and the entire Sub-Saharan Africa. We had a roundtable discussion with the World Bank, where a strong platform has been designed on ways in which we can improve the livability standards of our city, on ways in which we can keep the city to become very resilient and very sustainable in a way and manner that it can continue to compete very well with cities of this size around the world. In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Gaji Tajuddin, described circular economy as a beacon of hope in the face of rising environmental difficulties and the depletion of the natural resources. The ideas of the circular economy, ladies and gentlemen, are very anchored in the concept of restorative practices in which waste becomes a resource and efficiency is the rule. We minimize, we may minimize environmental effects, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect natural resources for future generations by implementing circular solutions. On her part, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Sustainable Development, Abosa De George noted that the circular economy is a new norm where sustainable and affordable clean energy is a way to go. What I would say, everything is usable, depending on whatever you want to do about it. And we're talking of Goal 12, which is responsible consumption, production and consumption. That's Goal 12 of the SDG goals. So it is high time we start thinking of responsible consumption and at the same time, responsible production. The event first of its kind in Africa, provided avenue for talented Nigerian and African innovators to showcase groundbreaking innovations and initiatives. And that's all we have for you on this episode of the Greater Lagos Vision at Lost TV Africa. Bye for now.