The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, rolled out the first batch of 1,000 brand new GAC-branded automobiles for modernised taxi scheme in the state.
This is coming barely a month after a 22-year-old tailor, Oluwabamise Ayanwola, went missing and was later found dead after using a Lagos State-owned Bus Rapid Transit vehicle.
Ayanwola went missing after boarding the BRT bus on Saturday, February 26. She was said to have boarded the bus, which was going to Oshodi, at Chevron Bus stop.
Until her death, the victim worked as a fashion designer on Chevron Estate, Ajah, Lagos, but spent the weekends with her sister at Ota, Ogun State. Her lifeless body was found by the roadside on Carter Bridge, Lagos Island.
But to prevent reoccurrence, Sanwo-Olu said the government had put in place necessary security measures to protect Lagos residents that would be using the newly launched scheme which was codenamed ‘Lagos Ride’.
To improve riders’ and passengers’ security, Sanwo-Olu said a full security gadget, including a 360 dashboard camera that will give 24-hour audio-visual feeds to the control centre, had been pre-installed on each car deployed for the scheme.
He added that each car came with a physical panic button that could be used by anyone on board in case of assault or emergency. The panic button, the governor said, is also on the mobile application and is connected to the Control and Command Centre.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the automobile assembly plant being set up in Lagos – another component of the partnership between CIG Motors’ and the State Government – stood at 60 per cent completion, with anticipated launch and start of operations expected in September.
“What we are witnessing today is that Lagos is moving away from the era of rickety kabu kabu to a brand-new, comfortable, and safe transport system. The multiplier effect of this singular initiative on job creation, youth employment, and economic growth and development in the State cannot be overstated,” Sanwo-Olu was quoted as saying in a statement by his spokesman, Gboyega Akosile.
Also, the Managing Director of IBILE Holding, Abiodun Amokomowo, said over 5,700 drivers had downloaded the driver’s mobile apps as of last Tuesday, out of which 1,786 drivers submitted applications.
Registration and enrolment fee has been accepted from 359 drivers, while others were awaiting screening, Amokomowo said.
He said: “As part of the process each operator will go through for the safety and security of life and effective operations of the scheme, we will conduct full verification of applicants’ Lagos State Drivers’ Institute (LASDRI) ID cards, medical history, background check and verification of NIN and Lagos resident registration numbers.”
The ride-hailing taxi initiative, which is being operated on a lease-to-own basis, is a component of the State Government’s multimodal transportation blueprint being executed under the Traffic Management and Transportation pillar of the THEMES agenda of the Sanwo-Olu administration.
The initiative is a partnership between Lagos State-owned IBILE Holding Limited and CIG Motors Company Limited, with the objective to provide clean and reliable means of taxis movement across the metropolis at affordable cost, using brand-new vehicles.
Operators are required to pay about N1.9 million down payment, of which the sum covers the 20 per cent equity of cost of vehicle, registration, and insurance. Each car being used in the scheme comes with technology-enabled security features that monitor every journey undertaken.
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