http://www.newsportng.com.ng The French government through it’s sustainable urban mobility system, has partner Kaduna state government to improve transportation system in the state. FRANCE
The French Ambassador to Nigeria, Emmanuelle Blatman on Wednesday during the ground breaking event of Bus Rapid Transport, (BRT) said the gesture is a testimony of strong partnership between France, Nigeria and in particular Kaduna state.
According to her, the BRT project will help commuters have comfortable and reliable means of transport system in the nearest future, adding that the project upon completion can assist 160,000 residents of Kaduna daily, a project she noted is an ambitious project significantly to improve the daily lives of city dwellers.
She said, “I am grateful that in my first visit to Kaduna state I am able to launch this great project. It is a testimony of strong partnership between France and Nigeria and also in particular between France and Kaduna state government.
“This is one of the few part of our Sustainable Urban Mobility System. It shows the commitment of France and Nigeria to develop with urban mobility plan system and we are very optimistic that this BRT model will develop in Kaduna and others cities in country like Kano state.
“It is also expected that over 100,000 inhabitants will benefit directly from the new BRT corridor and the new system will accommodate up to 160, 000 commuters daily.
“It is really impressive and we are very happy also that this ambitious project is consistent with France in commitment with Nigeria and we will continue to stream live with the 2030 agenda in environment and sustainable transition and supporting also Nigeria. With this it will yield other sustainable development goal SDG 9 and SDG 11 because we know to which extent the transport is responsible for green house in global warning.” She said.
Speaking at the event, the Kaduna state Governor, Mallam Nasir El-rufai, appluded the French Governornment for their partnership to ensure that the infrastructure in the transport system thrive in Kaduna state.
El-rufai said, the project is one of his promises to Kaduna residents with the aim of giving commuters access to a comfortable and reliable mode of transportat system, an improvement upon the Kaduna State Transport Authority.
The Governor added that his administration “At a point, we are having difficulties finding financing that project when the French Governornment kindly stepped in and through it’s developing agency offered a line of credit to finance this project.
“I am grateful to the government of France, the ambassador and her team for being patient and pushing very hard to get this project to this stage.
“Today we are doing the ground breaking and by the grace of God in the couple of years Kaduna will have a functioning bus rapid transit that will be moving tens of thousands of people everyday.
“We hope with the success of this project we will begin to extend it to Zaria metropolitan area as well as kafanchan metropolitan area and gradually to all our major towns and cities.”
Speaking with Journalists shortly after the event, the Director General Kaduna State Transport Regulatory Agency, (KADSTRA) Aisha Sa’idu- Bala, disclosed that the idea is to encourage people use public buses, stressing that the state has problem of old buses plying the road, causing alot of traffic on daily basis.
She noted that the project upon completion will give the transportation system an overhaul, give maximum comfort and as well as reliability including job opportunities to the urban dwellers.
