Railway Establishment Is For Economic Growth, Not Profit —Amaechi
Oru Leonard
In his regular monthly inspection of the Lagos-Ibadan railway, the Minister of Transportation in Nigeria, Rt Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, has said that government is pursuing the railway project to ginger economic growth rather than profit.
Hon Amaechi, who said this to journalists in Lagos on Tuesday, noted that large movement of goods and people by train contributes immensely to the economic growth of a country.
According to him, “The most important thing is that it creates employment and improves the economy which is our target at the end of the day”.
Amaechi also commented on the expected assembling factory in Kajola, said that Nigeria had an agreement with China to manufacture materials locally. As a result there will be a ground breaking ceremony at the site of the factory, come November 8, 2019.
He explained that Nigeria is not contributing anything to the establishment of the factory and the transport university, “The assembling company, I must state belongs to the Chinese”, he remarked.
The Minister commended the contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), on its target to complete eight (8) minor stations and four major stations. He said that, it was good CCECC had changed all their policies of bringing materials from China. “They are ready to work, but were waiting for materials from China, Now they have said that all materials will be gotten locally” , he noted.
The Minister urged CCECC to try as much as possible to complete the Ebute Metta rail line that terminates at Ibadan on or before November 25 as the Federal Government will flag off free train ride by November 30, 2019, but cautioned the contractors to maintain standard and quality of the work, despite the pressure from the ministry.
“By November 25, two significant things should happen. One, all minor stations should be ready and two, one track must get to Ebute Metta.
“I will flag off free train ride by November 30th, so that both Christians and Muslims that will want to celebrate Christmas in Ibadan can do it free of charge. The two executive coaches available will be used for trial run on November 30 while we wait for the other coaches.
“We must start commercial run from Ebute Metta, whether there is rain or not, one track should get to Ebute Metta if the two can’t go. I won’t take off from Ikeja, I will start from Ebute Metta”, Amaechi said.
He said that if the coaches did not arrive before the set date, the two 24 passenger luxury coaches will be used, making it 48 for the two coaches warning that standing would not be allowed, like in Abuja Kaduna railway line.
“Insecurity is the major reason standing was allowed on the Abuja-Kaduna railway. Once we get the next 10 coaches we are sending to Kaduna, the situation where passengers stand inside our coaches will be reduced. Although it will not solve the problem of addressing the 3,700 passengers but at least it will reduce who stands.
“The actual number of passengers which that service can take or the sitting capacity is about 1,000 plus but we are carrying 3,700 daily. So if you add 10 coaches of 84 passengers per coach you will know that we are under pressure.
“But we know that when the coaches come and we make it more regular the pressure will be reduced”, he said.
Responding, the Deputy Project Manager CCECC Railway Project Xia LiJun noted that his team will try to achieve the target of completing the project so that commercial service could start by November 30, stressing that the constant rainfall is posing a challenge to the work.
