Metro line will be ready in two years, says Sanwo Olu
By Molade Adegbuyi and Samuel Ogunsona
The Lagos State Governor Mr. Babajide Sanw-olu has said that the multi-billion metroline in Lagos State will be ready in the next two years. He said the government has strategic plans to move from Okada to modern means of transportation that befits the status of Lagos, a state of some 18 million people.
The Governor spoke on May 29 as part of activities marking the commemoration of his one year in office. He said the blue and red lines will be completed in phases with the assurance that the project will be delivered during his first tenure which ends in 2023. He spoke as a special guest at the popular TVC programme, Journalists Hangout monitored by Irohinoodua.
He said metroline is an expensive project and that it would create new dynamics in transportation in Nigeria.
Sanwo Olu also said that the numerous projects of the State Government has the prospect of tbeing affected by the COVID 19 pandemic. He said it will affect his plan for health sector in Lagos State, as a result of the huge financial burden put on already lean income available to the State.
According to him, the budget on health had been cut by 21 percent ,which means the Government may not be able to meet the 18 to 20 percent of the total budget going for health sector which is the bench mark set by World Health Organization, (WHO)
“We are looking at everything in the health sector holistically and there is the need to improve on the budgetary allocation to health sector, though this may not be possible again this year because of COVID 19 pandemic”.
Sanwolu further said that his experience with COVID 19 has shown how important data gathering is in health sector and going forward keeping data especially in health sector will be looked into critically.
He said the state government will invest in health insurance which would help the Government to save cost.
Sanwo-Olu said priorities set by his administration include building of more primary health care centers which can work 24 hours against the present system of operation which is from 8am to 5pm,by so doing the burden on the secondary health care will be reduced when minor ailment like malaria and antenatal care and delivery of uncomplicated pregnancies will be handle by PHCs.
On the challenge COVID 19 posed to education sector, the Governor said, the state has equipped seven higher institutions in the state at present and they have started online learning