Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi will meet on Friday with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) on how to resolve the challenges stalling the project’s pace into the nation’s foremost ports.
Amaechi scheduled the meeting yesterday when he discovered that the project may not be delivered in May due to the slow pace of work between Ebute Metta and Apapa, both in Lagos. He noted that given the pace, delivering the Lagos-Ibadan speed train project in May was uncertain.
Thenationonline reports that the minister described the pace of work on the Ebute Metta to Apapa axis “as painful,” adding that he would focus more on it during subsequent inspections. Amaechi spoke in Omi-Adio, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, during the monthly inspection of the Lagos-Ibadan railway project.
The minister was accompanied by the Minister of State for Transportation, Gbemisola Saraki, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, Desmond Elliot (Surulere Constituency I), some government officials, the contractor and officials of TEAM Consulting Limited, consultants to the project.
On the pace of work, Amaechi said: “It’s a mixed bag. In some stations, you are impressed; in others, you are not. The last time we came, we had to suspend work because they were using what we referred to as stone dust. But now, they are using blast to do the foundation.
“Not much has happened at Abeokuta Station. The worst is from Ebute Metta to Apapa. That is painful. It will be the focus henceforth. They are coming up with all sorts. But I have asked to meet with NPA on Thursday or Friday to resolve those issues.
“The second excuse they have is that their vessels are at the sea port and they can’t berth because of the long queue.
“We will address it when we meet with NPA to see how they can come forward because we really need to complete this project as soon as possible. CCECC, NPA and TEAM will be at the meeting and we will resolve the issues.
On the April or May completion date, the minister said: “I can’t answer that question because when we asked the contractors, they told us it’s possible. Let me not continue to give you a date and then getting to that date, we are not there.
“They are being political. When I complained the last time, they said minor stations would be completed in April. They won’t talk about the major stations.”
Giving update on the rail tracks, Amaechi said: “If it’s in terms of tracks, it’s 100 per cent completed, apart from Ebute Metta. But what you must know is that there are two contracts here. The first contract is from Ebute Metta to Ibadan.
“The second contract is from Ebute Metta to Apapa seaport, which is about six kilometres. And that’s where we have been having problems. If you have been following this inspection, we have always had problems with Lagos because of the urban nature of the city. We have a lot of demolition to do.”
-Culled
