Plans to ease transportation problem in Lagos State was further boosted recently when the state government signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Comil Larrocerias Onibus Ltd for the establishment of a bus assembly plant.

The establishment of the assembly plant is part of the Lagos State Government plans to phase out rickety sub-urban buses popularly called “Molue” and the plant is billed to begin production in six months time and it is to be located in Ikorodu, Lagos suburb.

Under the agreement, the Lagos State Government through the ministry of works and infrastructure will provide the necessary facilities for the take off of the project while the Brazilian firm is expected to ship into the country, equipment worth $1 million about N140 million).

At least a 90-seater capacity Bus will be produced daily by the company when it begins operation in December, though in the interim the company has imported 100 buses as its commitment to the integrated mass transport scheme of the Govenor Bola Tinubu administration.

Under the people’s oriented plan, the Tinubu administration hopes to introduce 4,000 modern buses to major highways and roads to replace the worn out “Molue” and other rickety intra-city buses.

Already, the Brazilian company, represented in the country by Airton Antonio Dalla Corte has introduced 100 fully-built buses unto the roads.

The state government through its Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority (LAMATA) has secured a $100 million World Bank facility for the upgrading of some transportation infrastructure across the state.

Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the works and infrastructure commissioner, Engr. Rauf Aregbesola was at the endorsement of the MOU. The Governor, further said “the mass transportation system was a necessity for the state, as such the signing of the MOU marks the fulfillment of a three year dream of his administration.

According to Tinubu, the establishment of the proposed plant as a precondition for the procurement of the buses was to deliberately create jobs for lagosians.

He hoped the citing of the plant in the state would have an exponential effect on the local economy.

The Governor, therefore, directed the ministry of transportation and LAMATA to join hands with the Ministry of Works and infrastructure with a view to ensuring total compliance of assembled buses according to the state’s needs as well as meeting the deadlines of production.

Earlier, Works and Infrastructure Commissioner, Engr Aregbesola described the event as the first step in the administration’s desire to provide Lagos residents with modern buses and noted that the project conceived three years ago was coming to fruition at a time when people would begin to appreciate the role of government in ensuring good things of life for its people.

Comil’s representative in Nigeria, Frank Utomi of Utobras Nigeria Limited said “the plant is expected to produce urban buses with capacity for 50 sitings and 40 standing passengers. According to him, Brazilians rank among the largest manufacturers of buses, saying comil had established similar plants in Mexico and Columbia.

Utomi said the plant is expected to open a floodgate of direct investment from Brazil into Nigeria.

Comil’s promoter in Nigeria, Mr. Ade Adeniran however said that plans were afoot to move to site within a month, while production would begin in about six months.

He noted that the unit cost of the locally produced buses would be cheaper than the imported ones which cost about $10,000 each.