Lagos BRT - Disaster in the Making? (This Day)
However, the roads when completed will rely on the use of dedicated 'interference' free segregated lanes to guarantee fast and reliable bus travel times. Though apart from the BRT, there are other major components the Lagos Urban Transport Project (LUTP) is concerned with, which will be implemented with $100 million credit from the World Bank.
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These include, institutional strengthening and capacity building; urban road network efficiency improvement, bus services enhancement, water and non-motorised transport promotion and rail mass rapid transit. The BRT, which is said to be a good idea if there is good design for it right from the scratch, however has been widely criticised. The on-going project has been given a poor mark by many as a result of increased road accident, especially along the Ikorodu road, where the first phase of the BRT project has started.
On the other hand, traffic congestion, incessant breakdown of vehicles either as a result of over-heating and other mechanical problems equally compounds the situation on the ever busy road. Speaking on the project, Prof. Oluwole Adegbenro, Dean, Faculty of Engineering, University of Lagos (UNILAG), said that it doesn't require one to be an engineer or a professional to know the implications of demarcating the roads.
He said, "It is obvious that when you design a road there are many things that are taken into account. The road carrying capacity and the traffic size that it has been designed for. So when all of that has been done and the road has been put in place then you now want to modify it, you have to go back to the drawing board to address some issues about the implications of the new modification and its consequence.
"For instance, if I have a building that was not originally planned to carry another building on top, and somebody is tempted to put another building up there. Definitely it will create a lot of problems. There could be structural failures. So you can't do that kind of thing. You must go back to re-design and make sure that what you are going to modify can adequately cope. If it can't cope, then you have to do additional work".
Essentially, he said what the operators of the BRT could have done, is to build additional roads either underneath or on top to take care of the new innovation. "You cannot just put a new innovation into an old system. I mean it will cause a lot of chaos. We have seen part of it already", Adegbenro emphasised. But at the back of his mind, he said it takes many years to build such new system that will accommodate the new design.
Prof. Sulaiman Owolabi Talabi, Head of Department, Mechanical Engineering, also of Unilag, said the demarcating of the roads was un-called for as the project has compounded traffic in an already worsened situation in Lagos. Instead of building the calve or demarcation, he said all the operators of the BRT could have done is to put double yellow line and then test-run the project the way they envisioned and allow the people to see the outcome.
"You see with this curve they are laying right now, am suspicious that it is not going to work. Even danfos and molues will possibly use the BRT lanes when their vehicles break down because one cannot afford to stay in-between because they are not more lanes remaining", he said.
He said the construction is already affecting the economy because a lot of man hour is spent on the road as a result of heavy traffic. With the two service lanes left for other buses and other road users it is obvious that it will be inadequate to accommodate them, he argued.
"I believe they did not do a lot of feasibility studies and I also believe that the BRT road is too narrow for the vehicles they want to put there. And I am sure that within six months the vehicles will have dents and which may be affecting their tyres", Talabi told THISDAY.
Talabi suggested that the project should be suspended, while they try a pilot scheme for about six months and get some ideas. For Adengbenro, the BRT project will not stand the test of time because vehicle traffic on the road will always be on the increase despite the new transport system.
"By putting barriers may not even stop other road users using the BRT road, because circumstances may arise that will demand the use of the road either by force or pressure from commuters. Also there are other areas where BRT will not cover. So when you get there, what do you do.
"The solutions government is trying to proffer, hopefully will work but by and large, they are reasons to believe that it will not work. Scientifically and technologically, it is not going to work. It will lead us to nowhere and later we will start thinking of the right thing to do", Adegbenro said.
However, despite criticism trailing the BRT project, LAMATA's Managing Director, Mr. Dayo Mobereola, insisted on telling people the core benefits of the BRT buses. The buses which is expected to run on separate lanes he explained, will make buses run faster in a situation where there is traffic congestion. Also, there will be a stable fare which will not be subject to adhoc increase.
According to LAMATA's view, Ikorodu road is no longer an expressway which it was when it was constructed earlier. It has now been categorised as an urban route which has brought the need for users to maintain low speed limit. On what sounds as experts view, Mobereola suggested that if all motorists drive sensibly, observe road signs and care for other road users, traffic will flow on Ikorodu road at a speed commensurate with urban function of the road.
BRT, according to him is not a new trend in the world as many countries have adopted the innovation as a means of reducing traffic congestions. Countries like Hong Kong, Mexico, Kuala Lumber and Bangkok have similar projects with different capital cost and capacity.
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To support his argument on why Lagos deserve the BRT as soon as possible, he said that the population of Lagos State has risen to about 15 to 17 million people, with about six million passenger trip per day. Also, that there are 224 vehicles/km on national average, two to three hour journey time during peak periods and finally, that Lagos record about 75,000 danfo/molue in un-regulated operations.
Though Lagos State Government in 2003 set up LAMATA to plan, regulate and develop public transport infrastructure in Lagos, however they are still faced with challenges. These include, absence of articulated and adopted policy and strategic framework for the transport sector; too many agencies responsible for transport provision and services in Lagos, leading to jurisdictional confusion; poor enforcement of traffic regulations and absence of standard procedures for technical and economic evaluation of programmes and projects.
Others are congestion; too many drivers and owners transport operators; undisciplined behaviour of drivers; swinging changes in fare levels; lack of modern transport infrastructure; poor road condition and inadequacy of funds. Nonetheless, Mobereola said that BRT will be characterised by use of segregated lanes, closed stations, use of comfortable and high capacity vehicles. Others are frequent services on every one to two minutes, pre-board ticket purchase and inspection and use of intelligent transport system.
As things appear presently, it expected that commuters plying the Ikorodu road will soon heave a sigh of relieve going by what the Technical Advisor, Public Transport and Traffic Management, Mr. Gbenga Dairo said. He revealed that operations on the Mile 12 to CMS road will commence on August with 180 high capacity buses. For now, the buses will be operated by LAGBUS and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) with hours of operation between 6 to 10 pm daily.
On the fears entertained by the public on the BRT road, Dairo promised that they have been taken care of. For instance, when completed, well trained and equipped security personal will be attached to each bus shelter stations, while LASTMA's role on traffic management will increase. To further ensure there is proper flow of traffic, BRT will also provide monitoring team to complement the operation of other traffic agencies.
In addition to that, Dairo explained that LAMATA has a franchise agreement to ensure that buses comply with the new regulation to guide transportation in Lagos metropolis. Not only on the roads, he said on-street parking, side-street trading and less speed limit will be monitored. At nights, he promised that there will be provision of lightings that will aid driving at such a period.
Adegbenro is not impressed by the LAMATA operators' explanation. He said when something of such nature is to be done, what the operators should do is to take views from all manners of people and carry everybody along. He said such sampling of opinions will either reveal whether such a project will work or not.
"If BRT really want to do a good job, it is not what they would rush into. What feasibility studies have they done to know the implication of what they are doing. Have they involved people from engineering, designers, planners and even people in population control on how to reduce the population of certain areas so that the pressure will not be much on the those roads.
"But even if they have done that, did they subject it to a reasonable time frame to know whether it will work or not. Probabaly people are saying that it is political anyway. But am not sure that the people they are designing it for will enjoy the benefits. At the end of the day, I will be pessimistic not because of any other reason than a thorough job ought to have been done. Even the implementation strategy has to be worked out so that it doesn't encroach on the existing roads", Adegbenro said.
Nearly 54 Million Nigerians Go to Bed Hungry (This Day)
Reports have revealed that 53.6 million Nigerians, or nearly one-third of the nation's 140 citizens, go to bed hungry every night. Also in Sub-Sahara Africa, 31 million people allegedly go to bed hungry every night, while around 854 million people across the world undergo the same hunger process.
Above worrisome statistics formed part of the reason why a campaign against hunger was launched last week in Nigeria.
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The campaign, titled 'Hunger-Free Campaign' was kicked off by ActionAid Nigeria, in conjunction with some other civil society organisations.
The event which held in Abuja was witnessed by a crowd made up of the nation's labour movement, members of international and national non-governmental organisations and youth activists.
Speaking at the rally held at the Old Parade Ground, Area 11, Abuja, ActionAid Nigeria Country Director, Dr. Otive Igbuzor explained that hunger is a very painful experience.
In a statement issued by Mr. Tunde Aremu of ActionAid, the rights group leader said, "hunger is a very painful experience, especially when you are hungry not because you are fasting, when you are hungry not because you are too busy to eat, but you are hungry because you have nothing to eat".
At an event which was reportedly marred by violence and alleged harassment by some task force officials, Igbuzor, quoting from statistics from the Nigeria's official Bureau of Statistics, said "53.6 million Nigerians go to bed hungry every night. This translates to one in every three Nigerians going to bed hungry".
"It is outrageous that in this world we live in now, where we have enormous resources, where we have enormous technology that can feed the entire world, we have 854 million people across the world going to bed hungry every night. We are saying this is un-acceptable. In Sub-Sahara Africa, we have 31 million people going to bed hungry every night", he disclosed.
According to him, "this situation is unacceptable in a country that is the sixth largest exporter of crude oil in the world. This is a country that has enormous human and material resources".
The ActionAid Nigeria chieftain reiterated the commitment of his organisation, her partners, the United Nations agencies, Nigeria central labour movement, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Nigeria Union of Teachers, National Council of Women Societies, the Federal Capital Territory (F.C.T.) rural communities and poor people in the country to fighting to end poverty.
Other speakers at the campaign launch include, labour activists, representatives of the rural communities around the FCT, some representatives of women groups and youths.
The Hunger-Free campaign reportedly moved in a convoy through the main street of Abuja to create awareness on the issue of hunger, which is one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) expected to be successfully tackled by 2015.
To express support for the campaign, popular Nigerian actress and minority rights activist, Hilda Dokubo has also called for a hunger-free Nigeria.
The actress who spoke at a global youth campaign against hunger (Activista) held at the University of Jos, North Central Nigeria, told a crowd of students, youth activists and other performing artistes that they all need to come together to fight hunger in the oil rich nation.
Dokubo said "I do not know how you woke up this morning, but I know how over 30 million children did not sleep at all. I do not know if you have had some meals today, but I know how seven out of every ten children in my area of this country do not eat". The actress, who has been engaged in development works especially in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria, gave a graphic detail of the situation of poverty and hunger in the area, where she hails from.
Hilda Dokubo, a very famous actress in the Nigerian film industry, said, "seven out of ten children do not go to school. Whereas, 67 per cent of children elsewhere go to school, 70 per cent of children in my area do not go to school. The hospitals are simply inaccessible. Our roads are more of death traps".
Also, Obo Effanga of ActionAid Nigeria and Coordinator of Activista in Nigeria explained that "Activista is a global youth movement campaigning in ten countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America against hunger".
According to him, the movement is an initiative of ActionAid International to raise the awareness of youths all over the world to the realities of hunger; as well a way of raising the consciousness of the youths globally to the cause and effect of hunger.
"We want to tell the whole world that there is so much hunger in the world today. We are hungry and we are angry. This situation is unacceptable," Effanga said.
Port Harcourt Refinery Sale in Question (Vanguard)
BLUESTAR Consortium, comprising the business interest of Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Mr. Femi Otedola, has pulled out of its purchase of the Kaduna and Port Harcourt Refineries, belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The implication is that Nigerians may have to contend with the problems associated with imported petroleum products for much longer.
The consortium is also demanding the refund of the of $721 million (about N92.288 billion) it paid for 51 per cent equity interest in both refineries, from the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE).
The consortium had emerged the preferred bidder in a competitive exercise which saw them submit a bid of $150 million for 51 per cent equity in the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) and $561 million for 51 per cent equity in the Port Harcourt Refining Company.
The remaining 49 per cent was to remain in the control of the NNPC on behalf of the Federal Government.
Vanguard gathered that Bluestar served notice of its decision to discontinue the transaction in a July 17, 2007 letter to the BPE, citing untoward criticisms of its move to acquire controlling interest in the refineries.
In the last nationwide strike called by organised Labour to protest hike in fuel prices and VAT, the sale of the refineries was tabled as one of the issues in contention.
The NNPC had in a submission before the Senate ad-hoc Committee probing the sale of the refineries stated that it was not carried along in the transactions leading to the sale and that it could run the plants efficiently and make it operate at 90 per cent installed capacity if given the opportunity.
However, Bluestar Consortium, in its letter to the BPE, noted that since the NNPC claimed it could run the refineries efficiently, a period of 12 months be given to the corporation to make good its claim.
Similarly, militants in the Niger Delta had in a statement decried the circumstances surrounding the sale of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, pointing out that they would rather blow it up than have it run by “strange elements.”
An official of Bluestar who did not want his name in print said the consortium felt it was doing the country a favour when it made the bid for the refineries, adding that it is cheaper to build a new refinery than “purchase only 51 per cent controlling interest at such exorbitant cost and spend so much more to revamp the units.”
The official decried the new position of the NNPC before the Senate ad-hoc committee, noting that Alhaji Abubakar Yar’Adua, the corporation’s Executive Director in charge of Refining and Petrochemicals, participated all the way in negotiations with the BPE.
“We were motivated by patriotism and nothing more. Why is it so difficult for people to see this? We had even planned to list the refineries on the Capital Market as a way of giving part of it back to the Nigerian people,” he said.
Contacted, Mr. Joe Anichebe, spokesman for the BPE, said he was not aware of any move by Bluestar Consortium to withdraw from the process and promised to call as soon as there was a new development.
Dr. Levi Ajuonuma, Group General Manager in charge of Group Public Affairs at the NNPC, reacting to questions on the development said the corporation had made a presentation before the Senate ad-hoc Committee looking into the transaction.
He said since the committee was yet to conclude its work, he could not comment further on other developments.
Also speaking on the development, an official of the Ministry of Energy, who pleaded anonymity, decried what he described as double speak on the part of the corporation, adding that petroleum products imports may not cease in the immediate or medium term.
Militants Present Cease-Fire Terms (Vanguard)
Niger Delta militants will today propose four terms including the release of former Governor Diepereye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa State and a general amnesty for a general cease- fire in their quest for self determination.
The terms of the cease-fire will be conveyed by Asari Dokubo, leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteers Force (NDPVF) during a scheduled meeting between a delegation of the militant groups and President Umaru Yar‘Adua in Abuja.
Senator David Brigidi chairman of the Federal Government instituted Niger Delta Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee confirmed the terms as laid down by the militant groups from his preliminary contacts with the groups.
Besides the release of Chief Alamieyeseigha, the militant groups are also asking the federal authorities to create the enabling environment that will allow the leaders of the militant groups to unmask themselves and appear in Abuja for the negotiations.
“They just want some preliminary conditions to be met so that they could create a ceasefire for the dialogue to take place. Our duty is to put the ceasefire in place so that the leaders, opinion moulders and delegations from the ethnic nationalities of the Niger Delta will be able to come to Abuja and discuss,’’ Senator Brigidi who was picked by the Federal Government to broker the talks with the militant groups told Vanguard.
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