Buhari keeps mum, commissions Blue Line rail, J Randle Centre

• Lagos to spend N8.2b on partial passenger operation
• Sanwo-Olu signs contract for second phase

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, rounded off his two-day official visit to Lagos State with the commissioning of the first phase of the 13-kilometre Blue Line Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line.

In a contract document sighted by The Guardian, the state government is expected to spend N8.2 billion on partial passenger operation for the Marina to Mile 2 rail-line.

Buhari, during the visit, commissioned four projects without making any official speech at all the events, with many guests and journalists, who had waited for hours, leaving without hearing the President speak to them officially.

The President had commissioned the Lekki Deep Sea Port and Imota Rice Mill on Monday.

While some persons argued that Buhari could not speak at the two events after arriving very late owing to his participation at the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign in Bauchi, he, however, followed same tradition yesterday during the commissioning of the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History and the blue line rail without making any speech.

The first phase of the Blue Line rail spans from Marina to Mile 2, while the second phase of the rail project, which Buhari also witnessed its contract signing ceremony by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, starts from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko.

After inaugurating the first phase of the Blue Line Rail, the President joined Sanwo-Olu and other dignitaries on a train ride from Marina to the National Theatre Station.

It was, however, gathered that the contract of N8.2 b for the partial passenger operation of the Blue Line rail was awarded to the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) Nigeria Limited.

Sanwo-Olu said the project would restate the state government’s commitment to bringing the entire stretch of the blue line to completion.

He said the Blue Line rail commissioning was a product of the timeless vision of the state 20 years ago, adding that one of his greatest legacies is developing a comprehensive roadmap for the future of Lagos that clearly defines the pathway for a modern, prosperous and globally-competitive megacity.

The governor said that the Lagos State Strategic Transport Master Plan (STMP) was envisioned as a sixth metro line with the Blue Line, which is a 27-kilometre running from Marina to Okokomaiko, the first to be completed.

On his part, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, said the completion of the first phase of the people-oriented project has five stations – Mile 2, Suru-Alaba, Orile Iganmu, National Theatre and Marina.