My greatest regret in politics – Jakande

Posted by admin Latest Politics Sunday, March 6th, 2011

Lagos – A former Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande said in Lagos that his greatest regret in politics was the cancellation of the metroline project started by his administration in the 80s.

The metroline project was conceived as a means of mass movement of goods and services by rail within a thickly populated city such as Lagos metropolis, and Jakande was governor from 1979 to 1983 in Lagos State.

Jakande, who went down the memory lane in an interview said it would have helped to reduce the problem of traffic congestion in the metropolis.

“The greatest thing I regret in the politics of our country is the cancellation of the metroline project, I had foreseen that we would need a metroline.

“The land size of Lagos, compared with the potential growth of the people, made it imperative in my view to have a quicker means of transport to reduce vehicular traffic.”

The former governor said the project was cancelled by the military junta that truncated democratic government in 1983 and had made traffic problems in Lagos state, at present, a big issue.

Jakande, while commending Gov. Babatunde Fashola for embarking on the light rail project, advised him to expedite action in order to complete it as soon as possible.

Jakande also argued that the passage of the Freedom of Information, FoI, Bill by the National Assembly will strengthen journalism in the country

Jakande, an 81-year-old veteran journalist said: “The FoI Bill or law will strengthen the profession because it will give the journalists the backing they require to probe information, to acquire information and to publish it.”

-Vanguardwp_posts