Anthony Omoh
28 October 2008
Lagos — LAGOS State governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has called for direct flights to the South American countries stating that it would aid development and business between them. Speaking with Airport Correspondents in Lagos after his arrival from a business trip to the southern American countries, Fashola lamented having flown 21 hours before connecting the countries stating that it was a hindrance and would not promote efficient business relationship.
He viewed as absurd, the fact that airlines had to go through Europe to connect certain countries and further canvassed a direct Air link to connect the southern African countries within seven hours.
He stressed that the state government would be pursuing this effort and hoped that it would sooner become a reality. On his business trip to Brazil, he said that it was pertinent for the country to learn from the country, which within 15 years developed its economy and made it a force to be reckoned with in the globe. He attributed the leadership quality and commitment of the leaders to the easy turn around of the country. He said, "It is instructive to understand that in less than 15 years, Brazil has turned its economy around and it is largely as a result of the leadership and commitment of the people who lead that country. They did it in such a recent time that we can take the benefit of their experiences and avoid the mistakes that they made in getting to where they are. "The thing is to establish a direct link between Brazil, Argentina and Nigeria having to fly almost 21 hours through the coast of Europe only to go back down, will not prosper efficient business relationship, Fashola stressed." On the allegation from the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) that the state government did not carry it along on the diversion of traffic from the Oshodi-Apapa expressway, he described it as secondary, maintaining that the government had been working with both federal government and its agencies.
He reiterated the readiness of the state government to continue with the federal government and its agencies, adding that what mattered most was the interest of the citizenry. Fashola said the road connected seven local governments in the state and condemned the withdrawal of the country from the under 17 World cup, emphasising that the country would lose many business opportunities through the withdrawal. He described the decision as ill-advised and stressed that sport is a unifying factor, which the country must know.
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