Railway
PHOTONEWS: Rotimi Amaechi, Lai Mohammed Inspect The Lagos-Ibadan Railway
Nigeria’s Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi with his counterpart, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture on Saturday inspected various stations of the ongoing Lagos-Ibadan Railway.
As the Federal Government edges towards completing stations along with the Lagos- Ibadan project, and the Ebute Metta- Apapa Seaport rail tracks, the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi embarked on a routine inspection of the Project.
The minister while inspecting the railway has tasked Messrs China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), the contractors handling the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Rail to complete the project within five months.
He argued that COVID-19 has come to stay thus, Messrs CCECC are to devise measures of completing the project. He urged them to procure personal protective equipment for their workers as no excuse for failure would be accepted.
The Minister who made this known today in Lagos when he recommenced inspection of the Lagos-Ibadan rail project in the company of his Information and Culture counterpart, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, noted that funds is not the challenge being faced on the $1.6 bn projects but rather lack of workers. He, therefore, advised the company to adhere to safety measures such as compulsory use of masks and safety shields by all workers in order to get the required number needed to work in all stations.
On the Ibadan-Kano $5.6 billion rail which is yet to commence, Amaechi stated that government is yet to secure the loan facility from China, Export-Import Bank, assuring that it remains a priority project of the present administration.
Asked about his impression about the project, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who was visibly very impressed said: “I am very impressed. The reason we brought you here is to see that it is not a concocted story. This is the reason why we are borrowing the money so that Nigerians can travel in dignity and comfort”.
The Ministers and their teams inspected the gigantic Ebute Meta Railway Station Building and yard construction work; Apapa Railway Station; Dockyard Station as well as Agege; Kajola; Papalanto; Abeokuta and Ibadan Train Stations, which are at various stages of completion.
Other dignitaries on the inspection tour included: the Managing Director, Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Usman, the Board Chairman, NRC, Engr. Ibrahim Alhassan Musa, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Hassan Bello, among others.
