 Hello, this is the Greater Lagos Vision and I'm your host, Love Ikuku Oyedokun. Since assumption of office on May 2019, Governor Babaji Desawunlu has maintained his commitment to ensuring safe mobility of residents and ease of doing business in the state. This was demonstrated through the official launch of a security-featured apparatus, safe, comfortable and modernized taxi scheme, codenamed Lag Ride, with a rollout of the first batch of 1,000 brand-new GAC automobiles at the Statehouse in Alousa, Ikeja. The Ride Helin Taxi Initiative, which has been operated on a least-to-own basis, is a component of the State Government's multimodal transportation blueprint being executed under the Traffic Management and Transportation pillar of the famous agenda of the Sawolu administration. This is the Greater Lagos Vision. Welcome once again, I'm Love Ikuku Oyedokun. This episode features infrastructure, Sawolu restates commitments to ensuring seamless mobility to deploy technology for enhanced movements. Transportation Lagos States sets to host many national transport technology companies. Lagos Blue Line Rail, Sawolu says project will be electrified once vendors to stay away. Any city without a fully functional infrastructure system will suffer a setback, as such engineers must be well trained in order to bring to bear their professional attributes to the growth of the nation from an infrastructure perspective. The managing director of Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority, Lamata Engineer Abimbola Akinaju, stated this during her presentation at the 2022 Alumni Launching of the University of Lagos Faculty of Engineering Alumni Association in Lagos. It was a reunion, a very double networking opportunity for the alumni of the Faculty of Engineering, University of Lagos. It was also an avenue to give back to their alma mater through the launching of a 500-millionaire fundraising project for the faculty. Away from that, Governor Babaji de Sawolu and his team cashed in on the opportunity provided by the reunion to tell the impact of the alumni on the state's infrastructure of development in less than three years. And so the Blue Line you can see is a massive feat of engineering, and I'm sure all of you need to be proud of it. From four legs, we take design to ten legs. So we do a massive right of way to do ten legs and we're very smart to keep a rail corridor in the middle of it. So the alignment actually is about 16 legs because when you don't turn it and you still have enough alignment to keep a rail corridor where they may fit, and that's why we're able to preserve and which are the most difficult options to take. But because we're committed at that time to say, you know what, let's have the audacity to want to do it and that's why we started it. The four stations, Mal 2, Alaba is no more, National Theater, they're completed. You will notice that Mal 2 and Alaba, they have two complexes. Obviously that's based on study. Studies that have been done to determine sort of ridership that we would get and we realize that, I mean it's obvious, Mal 2 is a market area so there's a lot of people there. So that's why we have two complexes that allows us to take one more passengers. It's the same thing in Alaba. The managing director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, Lamata spoke with journalists on the sideline of the event. Infrastructure is owned by all. So it means that as an individual you have a responsibility, something has been built not to destroy it, not to vandalize it and so therefore people also need to be aware and also take ownership and that's what I always say. If something belongs to you, you are not likely to go and destroy it. She also told the forum that over 5,000 people affected by the construction of the rail have been compensated by the Lagos State Government. The Lagos Blue Line Rail on completion will be running on electric tracks with electric motor vehicle, EMV and as such citizens have been warned to keep off the train lines. Handing down this warning shortly after inspecting the Blue Line Rail, the Lagos State Governor, Babaji Desawunlu, assured Legosians that the completion date of the two rail projects remains. The train took off from the National Theatre Igomu to Orile, to Rualaba, mile two and back to the Maruna-Arxix of the state, having Governor Babaji Desawunlu, some members of his cabinet, officials of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, Lamata and contractors handling the project on board. The Governor inspected the ongoing works on the Blue Line Rail project and stations on a new four-code train, which according to him is a typical train that will be used on the Blue Line. He expressed satisfaction at the pace of work, maintaining that the project will be delivered on schedule. Saawunlu was unhappy at the level of vandalism along the rail corridors and warned perpetrators to disease from such acts. They are electric trucks. They are going to be running on electric, on electricity, and you will know that citizens or passengers or anybody whatsoever cannot walk on those things. Right, so gentlemen of the press, you have that responsibility. From now, we begin to mention that, for the next six months, eight months, we begin to mention that this track is not like the red line. The red line is DMU, but the blue line is EMU. So these are some of the communications that we need to begin to pass out and they are electric train lines. The Governor also assured that adequate security would be put in place at every station and platform with the use of CCTV. He disclosed that the state was said to bring in from China additional two sets of four train coaches by September and October. The additional trains that were procured for the Blue Line were going to be going to China when they open up, maybe in May or June, you know, when it's completely completed just to have a look and, you know, send it on shipment to probably get to the country before September or October. So based on the promises we gave you at the beginning of the year, we are still on track at both the red line and the blue line. Recently, the legal state governor, Babaji Desa Wulu, unveiled the first batch of 1,000 brand new GSE branded vehicles, otherwise known as Lag Ride. This for sure is another step forward and the state governments drive to develop an efficient transportation model in tune with modernity and comfort. According to Sao Wulu, there's no plan to run existing hailing ride operators out of business, but to offer safer alternatives and clear the rows of rickety cars used for taxi business. Joining me in this episode is a national president, e-hailing drivers and private owners association of Nigeria, Comrade Idris Shonuga for more insight into the scheme. Thank you so much Comrade Idris Shonuga for joining us today on the Grisalika's vision. Thank you. Right, you are the president of the national president, professional e-hailing drivers and private owners association of Nigeria. Tell us, in Lagos state, the Lagos state government just introduced recently the Lag Ride, Lagos Ride. Tell us exactly how has it been, how have your members been faring since the introduction? Thank you. Our members are very happy. They are very happy in the sense that the business of Lagos Ride is going to have value to their quality of existence in the sense that they are going to be using the brand new vehicles to run their transport service under Lagos Ride unlike before that they use old vehicles, popularly known to Kumbo, even Nigerian old used car to run taxi business which in different cases develop faults at the middle of roads. It's almost impossible to maintain those vehicles, you know. But the added advantage with Lagos Ride introduction is maintaining of those vehicles for the drivers who are beneficiaries. You see, running the transport business has been very difficult in terms of maintenance of the vehicles because you are always on the road, on daily basis and we don't have a good mechanic system in Nigeria. So majority of drivers patronized the road mechanics dealing with all manners of spare parts dealers, getting wrong spare parts to fix their car. At times they spend double amount to repair the cars and it's eating hard on them. But with the introduction of Lagos Ride that comes with Mechanica Insurance, where the vehicle will be maintained for them for the period of 40 years, where the contract is between them and the billy audience who is going to manage the operation of that business is a welcome development. So when we heard about the scheme that has been launched and it concerns our industry because the vehicle will be operated with algorithm is online approach unlike conventional way of transportation before where you have to flag down. It is online and we are e-ailers. So we approach the issue of transportation that the legal state government cannot launch such a loadable scheme without giving the practitioner the sense of belonging because we are e-ailers. We have thousands of trip history on Uber and boat and we are professionals so we need to get involved. So we apply and the ministry direct us to the appropriate body that is going to pilot the Lagos Ride, which is the billy audience. So we met the MD and we were asked to write a proposer. We did not lobby. First of all, as a body, they deal with body, they deal with individuals. From the conversation, we approach them as a body. Then I think when I met the MD of the billy audience, it made us to understand that the associations, the individuals, the guardians who are interested in the scheme can apply. We apply as an association. Then the procedure is like every other person. The requirement to be a beneficiary of Lag Ride is uniform. 20% equity contribution of the asset of 7.5 million, the interest of 10% for the period of four years. You have the down payment of 1.8 million, which we see will be very impossible for a member, ordinary e-healing drivers, to benefit from this scheme with such amount because it is so huge for e-healing drivers to sum up 1.8 million as a deposit. This means the ordinary person cannot be partaker of this scheme. We appeal that it is there in another way. They give us two banks, STMB and Polaris Bank, precisely to give us loan. They came up with a corporate guarantee on behalf of the association for a member to be a beneficiary. The Polaris Bank, we borrow our members, they said 1.8 million. Why are we standing for them? A member has been applying, but besides, the individual members also need to have some starting contribution from that 1.8 million. 20% equity contribution of 1.8 million, which is around 300,000. And we have employer and drivers advise them to key into this because it's going to make life better for them. Then the most interesting part of it that make us to subscribe to Legal Stride is that what the union stands for is workers' rights, the workers' welfare. Because we notice that the government has been less concerned on the informal sector because our interest is informal sector, the e-healing drivers fall in informal sectors. And informal sector has been neglected for a long time. A lot, some starting benefit workers' rights has been denied, such as HMO, pension scheme plan, opportunity to have cooperatives, then perhaps mortgage plan. These are set of workers that solve problem of transportation in the state, moving passenger from one point to another point with expected professional service they need to be taken care of. But to my dismay, all these things have been embedded in Legal Stride business scheme because our own concerns is that what are the provisions for the drivers that are going to drive this business? And we're made to understand that 1.5% commission has been set aside for the driver and their family of four, which is what we HMO health management scheme under the plan. You see when the charge 25% commission of each transaction consummated under the platform, 4% out of it goes into comprehensive insurance and mechanic insurance to maintain that vehicles, which I see as a welcome development. It wasn't anywhere included in their current module of operandi with other hub companies. And if legal state governments put this in their business plan, I think, you know, they are coupling international standard practice, which is why we are very happy with Legal State Company, particularly Rwajisansongulu, for making sure that all these things are embedded in Legal Stride. With the notion of Legal Stride, when we are meeting with them, if they follow all the process of the letter, I think it will reduce traffic congestion in Legal State because they are the first hub companies that we introduce what we call carpooling, carpooling means classification of rider. We are two, three, four different customers can join one vehicle going towards the same destination. And with the introduction of brand new comfortable vehicles, I think a lot of negotiations will keep their vehicle at home. What prompted the love of legalians to make use of their vehicle is because we don't have a good safe transport system. That is why everybody wants to have their vehicle on the road. And judging from the fact that we have less road and we have many people in the city, we are moving at the same time. But if we have a safe system, safe transport system, comfortable safe transport system, a lot of people will keep their vehicle at home and make use of Legal Stride. What am I saying? With the introduction of this classification of rider, they will pay less. They will pay less than the conventional taxi. Where you used to pay $1,000 error, you can pay less than $1,500, even $1,000 because you are sharing your ride with other customers, other users. Meaning that the driver will end up anymore. In the sense that they are supposed to have end $2,500 and they call less $1,300 to $1,200 into four places is getting $5,000 instead of $2,500. And the same distance cover where you pick only one person. That will reduce a lot of traffic congestion. If we can actually accept this concept introduced by Legal Stride, you know, the traffic will be entirely reduced. But if Legal Stride deploy a non-vehicle, the $1,000 vehicle is not enough, I must be sincere with you. If we have more than this vehicle and in over to those who need it, job opportunity to pilot it, a lot of negotiations will keep their vehicle at home and will make use of Legal Stride. Legal Stride can enter anywhere in the street of Legal State because the majority of this vehicle are SUVs. They can enter some bad area. And we have sampled it. It is not low vehicle is high on the ground. They can manoeuvre some bad spot. I see it as a solution. If it is being piloted appropriately, online transport system is already a smart system way of transportation. Couple with a lot of mechanism being embedded in it to make transportation easy. Using a stone to kill two to three beds. Number one, the large ride is not going to be conventional taxi. You take request, the driver take request randomly. You know, and it solves the problem of moving within the city. Two to three people can enjoy a ride. And this ride we are talking about is a global standard. Even a lot of people in the lunch of this vehicle have been getting a lot of reports from our members that they are asking them, is it real? You know, because this is the first time we are seeing that government make promise and they are fulfilling it. I thought when me saw it, I thought I'm dreaming. But today is reality. You see, if it is being piloted properly, it will fit in what we call smart city Legos. Because that is not different from what is being practiced in Dubai and what is being practiced in Legos. In the alien service in Legos, it is already a smart way of transportation. Unlike those who promise us a smart transport system and we are seeing a car of 15, 17, 18 years, 20 years running a taxi. We are talking about a recent car, two years old car, to run a taxi business. With a lot of security gadgets to contain any security threats. And making the movement in the city of Legos is very easy, with the introduction of several mechanisms that will make life easy for Legosians, for them to imbibe with this scheme. I think, I don't know how they came about this, but I expect more of these things to come in the future. I want to really appreciate the office of Governor Saulu for this laudable project. It is indeed a welcome development. And we, as professional alien drivers and private organizations, are solidly behind him. We trust him again and he is a man of his words. I was with him in 2020 when he said he is going to introduce a safe transport system. I didn't believe it would come to reality, but I'm seeing it in reality. May God bless him. Second time, we are with you fully, in spirit, in physical. That's all we have in this episode of the Greater Legos vision on Plus TV Africa. I'm Lovie Cuckoo. Bye for now.