The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, says 500 small new commercial buses will be released by next week Thursday to replace motorcycles.

The Governor, while speaking at the opening ceremony of the Lagos Architect Forum on Wednesday, said the state would soon start to operate 100 new high-capacity buses.

Sanwo-Olu acknowledged the challenges in the transport sector and promised to improve the various modes of transport including the roads, waterways, and rail lines.

The event themed, ‘The City of Lagos: The Next Twenty Five Years’ was organised by the Nigerian Institute of Architects, Lagos chapter.

“For the waterways, we’re currently building 16 jetties and terminals. About seven of them should be ready before the end of the year; we have some that are already currently being used,’ the governor said.

“All of them will not look as nice as the one at Falomo, but we want all of them to be comfortable. We have a fleet of almost 20 boats now each carrying 50, 60, 40 passengers. We want people to use the waterways which is why we’re investing in them,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The four-day forum which will run till Saturday had in attendance other dignitaries including the Oniru of Iru Land, HRM Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal; the Lagos State Chairman of the NIA, Arc. David Majekodunmi; SA to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Aramide Adeyoye; and the President-elect of the Nigerian Institute of Architects, Arc. Enyi Ben-Eboh.

The governor noted the progress made in the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda and his vision for the Lagos master plan to ensure that Lagos becomes ‘Africa’s model megacity by 2050.

He said that one of either the blue or red rail lines will become operational by next year.