Just about three weeks ago, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari was in our State to commission some of the projects executed by this administration. Most of these projects were targeted at reforming road transportation and making the movement of people easier in our State as well as creating iconic infrastructure.

Today, in line with our policy of developing an efficient integrated transport model which will ease the traffic on our roads, we are here to commission the Bariga Waterfront Jetty, Five Transport Ferries and the Ilaje Road. These three projects are part of the grand plan to decongest our roads by getting more of our people to use our waterways transportation.

The new Ilaje Road will serve as a very good access road to the Jetty as well as opening up this community. The Bariga Jetty will serve as a terminal where people in this part of our State can access ferry services and easily get to other jetties at Ikorodu, Marina, Falomo and Badore in Ajah. This jetty has a 150-car parking lot where people can park their cars comfortably and get on a ferry taking them to other parts of the State.

Of the five new ferries we are commissioning today, four are passenger ferries while one is a car barge which can move cars to the other jetties as may be required by people who want to drive in the other locations.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the thinking behind these projects is inclusion; an inclusion where every resident of our State has a say, feels the impact of government in their lives and is given the opportunity to realise their dreams.

When we assumed office four years ago, we set out on a mission to make every community economically livable. This has been the guiding principle behind spreading our different projects across the State.

When we first started on this project, the initial brief was to upgrade the roads in this community. But after a proper assessment of the community, it was clear that there was a bigger opportunity to improve the lives of our people here, make Bariga a transport hub and connect the community to other parts of the State through water transportation.

The delivery of this road, the jetty and our new ferries signifies our commitment to the people of Lagos State to continuously provide the critical infrastructure that will improve their standard of living and also be an impetus to increase the socio-economic activities of this axis.

The provision of comfortable, safe and reliable ferry services for the residents of Bariga and environs will no doubt bring about an improvement in journey times that would lead to greater productivity.

With these projects, our State is firmly on track with our goal of establishing an integrated transport management system. These facilities will continue to impact positively on the lives of Lagosians as we strive to address traffic gridlock, reduce travel time, improve road connectivity and abate flooding.

I am confident that the next administration will continue along these lines and build on the progressive strides the State has recorded in the last 20 years under successive administrations.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, it is now my pleasure to commission these projects to the Glory of God and for the benefit of mankind especially Lagosians who have kept the faith with us in the last four years.

Thank you all for your attention.

Itesiwaju Ipinle Eko Lo Je Wa Logun.

Mr Akinwunmi Ambode
Governor of Lagos State
May 14, 2019.