The Lagos State Government has said that 5,000 jobs will be created with the construction of the Fourth Mainland Bridge.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, also said that a contractor has been selected for the construction of the Fourth Mainland Bridge project.
Omotosho stated that the bridge will take huge traffic off the first, second and third mainland bridges, thereby reducing travel time for motorists in Lagos.
He added that the project will also create about 5,000 jobs for young engineers and train students on how such infrastructure is built.
According to him, properties along the project corridor are expected to appreciate geometrically.
Omotoso, who disclosed this during an interview on “Morning Delight”, a Lagos Television programme on Wednesday, also spoke on the cost implication of the Blue Rail Line.
The Commissioner for Information said he had heard some uninformed people compare the cost with that of Djibouti, Ethiopia Rail Line.
He opined that there was no basis for comparison between them because the Blue Rail Line is the only one in Africa that was built across a water body which meant that piling had to be done.
This, he said, was not the situation with the Djibouti Rail Line which is not on an elevated platform like the Blue Rail.
“So, the cost, the equipment and the expertise deployed must be different”, he stated.
He further declared that it was preposterous for people to just make such a comparison and allege corruption in building the rail line.
Omotoso admonished the public commentators to seek knowledge and research into matters of interest before they go to the public domain to make false statements about issues that they have little or no knowledge about.
The Commissioner averred that with the commissioning of the Yaba and Oyingbo overpass by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Red Line has become a reality.
Omotosho added that the rail is expected to be ready for a test run in December 2023.
“It is bigger than the Blue Line and capable of moving over one million people per day,” Omotosho explained.
“The travel time from Oyingbo to Alagbado which takes an average of three to four hours today will be reduced to a maximum of 35 minutes.”
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