Dairo: Why Ogun is investing in multi-modal transportation master plan

The Ogun State Government said the construction of a modern terminal in Abeokuta, the state capital for the entire South-West region, would be a game changer in its multi-modal transportation for the state and by extension the entire region.

The Federal Government has approved the construction of six modern bus terminals across the country, with one terminal located in each of the six geopolitical zones.

The project was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at a total cost of ₦142,028,576,008.17. The locations for the six terminals are Abeokuta, Ogun State (South-West Zone), Gombe, Gombe State (North-East Zone), Kano, Kano State (North-West Zone), Lokoja, Kogi State (North-Central Zone), Onitsha, Anambra State (South-East Zone) and Ewu, Edo State (South-South Zone).

The initiative, overseen by the Ministry of Transportation, is described as the Federal Government’s first direct intervention in road transport infrastructure beyond road construction, aimed at improving safety, enhancing passenger comfort, and boosting economic activity.

Ogun State Commissioner for Transportation, Engr. Olugbenga Dairo told Aviation Metric when he visited the Mabushi Bus Terminal in Abuja recently, said the state is actively developing a multi-modal Transportation Master Plan aimed at creating an integrated and seamless transport system leveraging road, rail, water, and air components.

The core of this strategy, according to him, is intermodality, ensuring that different transport modes complement each other for both passenger and cargo movement.

Key projects and plans for intermodal connectivity include air/cargo with the newly constructed Gateway International Airport, a flagship project designed as a logistics and export hub, particularly for agro-based produce, dry Port at Kajola (Ifo Local Government), a major project intended to decongest the seaports in Lagos.

The location is strategically close to both the standard-gauge and narrow-gauge rail lines to Apapa Port, allowing for the easy movement of containers by rail. It is planned to serve as a customs clearance point and logistics hub, and the Lagos-Ogun rail extension, with the state collaborating with the Lagos State Government on extensions of Lagos’s rail projects.

Dairo noted that multi-modal is designed to ensure that travellers have various mobility options when they want to travel from one place to the other, especially if the various options are integrated.

His words, “Fortunately for us, we are beginning to see the possibilities of multi-modal transportation in Lagos State, for instance. Now, people can combine …journeys with…transportation in the form of either BRT or the rail and even road for the last parts of their journey.”

“It would provide mobility, connectivity and options for people who want to travel from one place to the other in Ogun State when the time comes. No economy can survive without transportation. It is the arteries of the body that can be likened to the economy of a state. It carries the essentials of both people and goods to various parts of the body as demand arises.”

“Transportation not only addresses the issues of the economy, but our social life also depends on it. It is a critical element of human survival. It is not surprising that the administration of Prince Dapo Abiodun has prioritised transportation because it’s important for economic activities and the prosperity of people.”

He noted that a journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step, saying they had to start in bits, stressing that the administration started with rehabilitating and reconstructing the majority of road networks, which is where most of our travellers use at the moment.

He further stated that more than 90 per cent of people who move around in Ogun State, either by walking or public transport or private vehicles, use the road.

“So, it is only natural that that would be our first port of call. The Federal Government is working with us to develop some rails by extending the railway networks into Ogun State. Like the Mabushi Terminal, the federal government is building something similar in Abeokuta as one of the six locations across the country. The idea is to promote efficient and effective transportation, especially for those who utilise Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as an economical fuel.”

Wole Shadare