The Lagos State House of Assembly has taken a major step toward improving the State’s infrastructure with the second reading of two critical bills aimed at enhancing the railway and energy sectors.
One of the proposed laws, “A Bill for a Law to Establish the Lagos Railway Corporation and Improve Railway Transportation System,” seeks to provide a legal framework for developing an efficient and reliable railway network within the state.
Leading the debate on the bill, Majority Leader, Mr. Noheem Adams, described it as a historic milestone in Lagos State’s transportation evolution.
He noted that the bill leverages the recent amendment to the 1999 Constitution, which shifted railway transportation from the Exclusive to the Concurrent Legislative List, thus enabling states to legislate and develop their own rail systems.
Other lawmakers who contributed to the debate commended the bill’s sponsors, stressing the importance of transparency, accountability, and modernisation in executing rail projects that would serve the public effectively.
In a related development, the House also considered the second reading of the Ibile Energy Corporation Bill, designed to boost energy generation, distribution, and sustainability efforts in Lagos State.
The Speaker of the House, Chief Mudashiru Obasa, subsequently referred both bills to the House Committee on Transportation and Committee on Energy, respectively.
He directed the committees to submit their reports within two weeks.
These legislative moves are expected to pave the way for improved infrastructure and economic growth, particularly in transportation and energy, two key sectors critical to the state’s long-term development.
Reporting by Akinboye Akintola