Amaechi decries slow pace of railway project
-Oru Leonard Oru
The Hon. Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of the Lagos end of the Lagos-Ibadan Railway Project by the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), on Tuesday, 30 October, 2018.
“If I say am impressed with CCECC on the Lagos angle of the project, I will be lying. The problems of water pipes, gas pipeline, sewage and other challenges which hitherto was impeding progress of work has been resolved”. he said.
Amaechi stated this Tuesday in Lagos while inspecting the ongoing construction work of the Lagos end of the project.
The Minister further disclosed that CCECC has not made major progress in the last three months particularly, between Ebute-Metta and Apapa Ports.
According to him, the Lagos end of the project is critical and any delay of construction work would affect the scheduled completion period of the project.
Meanwhile, a total of 10 Stations will be constructed along the corridor of the Lagos-Ibadan Railway line. Apapa, Lagos, Agege, Agbado, Kajola, Papàlanto, Abeokuta, Olodo, Omi-Adio and Ibadan.
He, however commended the Contractor for the appreciable level of progress achieved so far between Abeokuta and Lagos and Abeokuta and Ibadan. “You will agree with me, between Abeokuta and Lagos and Abeokuta and Ibadan, CCECC has done fairly well”, he enthused.
On the December completion period, the Minister advised Nigerians to be patient as the Federal government is committed to deliver the project in good time.
May be the Federal Government and the Minister for transportation in particular should look out for other facility development partners to reduce the pressure on the Chinese NEXIM Bank that is currently involved in most infrastructural development in Nigeria.
However the message is clear that the PMB led administration is willing to deliver on all abandoned and ongoing projects if there are available funds.
