President Muhammadu Buhari, has on Thursday commissioned the
recently-completed first phase of the Abuja light rail project as he
flag-off the railway services signalling the commencement of operations
of the long-awaited rail services in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
Abuja.
The presidential aide on new media, Bashir Ahmaad who shared photos and video from the live event wrote:
“President @MBuhari officially commissions the first phase of
Abuja Light Rail mass transit covering 12 stations within the
metropolis. The #AbujaMetro is the first Light Rail network in the West
Africa.”
The Transportation Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory
(FCT), Kayode Opeifa, had yesterday expressed optimism that most of the
transport gridlock in Abuja would soon disappear with the commissioning
of the rail system on Thursday.
Opeifa, a former Commissioner for Transport in Lagos State, allayed
the fears that the transport situation in Abuja could relapse into a
worse state.
He said: “The Abuja rail system is as advanced as any in the
developed world and it is designed to provide speed and comfort to the
passengers within the FCT and serve as a delight to tourists.”