Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has granted the request of the authorities of the University of Lagos to float a jetty at the school’s waterfront in a bid to ease transportation in the state.
The governor who spoke at a panelist session of the maiden edition of UNILAG International week, titled ‘cities of the future, future of cities’ stated that he is willing to collaborate with the University to address some of the topical challenges faced in the state.
Speaking on providing solutions to the issue of mass urban transportation within the state, Sanwo-Olu noted that measures have to be taken to ensure that the teeming Lagos populace does not only move by road.
According to him, “on urban transportation, how can we ensure that we are not moving ourselves only on the road.
“We are ready to do all that this required to ease transportation challenges for our people. Just last week, we unveiled a collaboration with Uber with the launch of Uber Boats. We will be adding another one before the end of the year.”
“Can we use the waterways? Can we finish the rail project we are doing? I just gave a verbal approval to your Vice Chancellor who said UNILAG wants a jetty. Bring your approval, I will give it to you,” he announced.
Sanwo-Olu, a distinguished alumnus of the university observed that there is a need to harmonize the use of the natural resources at Lagos’ disposal including the waterways for transport.
He faulted the population density of the state, noting that Lagos land mass constitutes less than 0.5 percent of Nigerian land mass, while it harbors about ten percent of the country’s total population.
He lamented the inevitability of most challenges faced in the states, particularly transportation, housing, waste management and erratic power supply due to the above stated factor.
Sanwo-Olu challenged students and scholars in the school to engage in research that would provide solutions to urban challenges facing the State. He said the government was willing to collaborate with the institution for the growth of the State.
Responding, in his address, the Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe assured the governor of the institution’s eagerness to collaborate with the government in solving some of the challenges in the state.
The VC told the Governor that the school had a committee of scholars engaging in applied research to proffer sustainable solutions to environmental challenges plaguing the state.
